Men's Basketball | 12/13/2009 12:00:00 AM
Box Score Lindsborg, Kan. – Senior guard Mike Reece posted a career high 29 points, while Marlon Dominique posted his first double double as the Bulldogs held off the Swedes for a 86-73 victory at Hahn Gymnasium on Saturday evening. The win improves the Bulldogs to 10-2 and 4-0 in KCAC play, while the Swedes drop to 3-9 and 1-3 in conference action.
“Obviously we are very excited about getting the win and being 4-0 in the conference,” said McPherson coach Tim Swartzendruber. “I thought we had a great run at the end of the first half and then we did a great job closing out the game. We made the extra pass tonight and finished better inside. Our rebounding was also much better in the second half.”
Reece led all scorers with 29 points, as he hit 12-of-16 attempts from the field, while Dominique chipped in 11 points and 10 assists. Sophomore Aaron Frazier and senior Charles Moore II chipped in 13 and 10 points in the effort.
A back-and-forth battle ensued right off the bat as both sides opened the game with a fast pasted, aggressive style of basketball. After five lead changes, the Swedes used two successful trips to the foul line and a three-pointer to pull away to a five point, 24-19, lead with 8:17 left in the half.
The Bulldogs answered the Bethany run with a Reece three-pointer, followed by a Dwayne Thomas dunk off a Swede turnover. The led would change three more times before McPherson took control late in the first half. Moore opened the MC run with a dunk over two Swede defenders. Reece followed with two layups to propel the Bulldogs to a seven point, 43-36, lead at the end of the first half.
McPherson converted 11 Swede first half turnovers into 20 points, but the Swedes held a 13-9 advantage in points at the free throw line.
The Bulldogs shot 53.3 percent on 16-of-30 attempts in the first half.
The two sides traded baskets over the first 13 minutes of the second half, before McPherson began to pull away. With 4:47 left in the game, McPherson used two Frazier three throws to extend their lead to 11 points, 70-59.
Bethany twice pulled the Bulldog lead back to single digits, but the McPherson offense proved too strong as the Bulldogs finished the game 7-of-7 from the field.
McPherson finished the game 35-of-67 (52.2 percent) from the field, while the MC defense held the Swedes to 19-of-42 (45.2 percent) shooting. McPherson forced the Swedes into 24 turnovers, which the Bulldogs converted into 31 points.
The Swedes held a 30-13 scoring advantage from the free throw line, but the Bulldogs dominated the Swedes on the boards, pulling down 37 rebounds compared to the Swedes 29.
McPherson returns to the court on Jan. 4, when the Bulldogs play host to York College at the McPherson Sport Center.
