Men's Basketball | 12/10/2010 3:16:44 PM
Game 14: McPherson College (6-7, 0-3) at Friends University (4-8, 1-2)
Saturday, December 11, 2010 | 7:00 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. | Garvey Center
Game Notes (PDF)
Live Audio
The Matchup
The Bulldogs look to snap a five game winless streak on Saturday night, as the McPherson College men’s basketball team travels south to take on Friends University at the Garvey Center in Wichita, Kan. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. with a radio broadcast provided by 96.7 FM KBBE and audio stream provided at www.macbulldogs.com
The Bulldogs come into Saturday with a 6-7 overall record and 0-3 mark in conference play, following their Thursday night loss to Bethel College, 70-64. Against the Thresher, McPherson went cold from the floor in the second half, scoring only nine points in the opening 13 minutes of the period. The Bulldogs attempted to employ a foul heavy defense to take back the control they had in the first half, but failed to pull closer than six points. Sophomore guard Kasey Miller led MC with 14 points, including 11 in the second half. Backcourt mate, Adam Bruner set a career-high with 13 points in the effort.
On the season, MC is led by the backcourt duo of Aaron Jackson, Aaron Frazier and Trent Severs. Jackson leads the team with 13.8 points per game, while Frazier ranks second at 10.0. Severs acts as a distributer, ranking seventh nationally in total assists with 61. Along with his offense, Frazier leads the team with 26 steals, while tied for the lead with 10 blocks.
As a team, McPherson averages 70.5 points per game on 41.5 percent (320-of-772) shooting from the field.
Friends University (4-8, 1-2) enters the weekend in the middle of a three-game home stand. In game one, the Falcons fell to the University of Saint Mary, 76-73.
Scouting Friends
The 2009-10 KCAC Conference Champions, Friends University has battled to a 4-8 record and 1-2 mark in conference play after a loss to the University of Saint Mary last Thursday night in Wichita, Kan. Prior to USM, FU snapped a two game losing streak with a win at Bethel College on Dec. 4.
Against the Threshers, Friends shots 58.2 percent (32-of-55) from the field, including 61.1 percent (11-of-18) from three-point range.
Despite the losing record, Friends has been one of the top offensive teams in the KCAC. The Falcons entered the week leading the conference in scoring offense (76.8), free throw percentage (72.2 percent), three-point field goal percentage offense (40.8 percent) and assists (16.0 per game), while ranking third in field goal percentage offense (45.3 percent).
Forward Chris Jackson continues his tremendous offense from last season, leading the team with 20.5 points per game, including two games of more than 30 points. He has been held under double-figures only once this season. Other major contributors include Reggie Britton (12.3 points per game) and Drew Jones (10.3)
Head coach Dale Faber is in his eight season at the helm of the Friends University men’s basketball program.
In their last meeting...
McPherson, Kan. – A nine-point swing on three consecutive Falcon three-pointers proved to be too much for the McPherson College men’s basketball team to recover from, as the Bulldogs were edged by Friends, 63-60, Saturday night at the McPherson Sport Center.
The Bulldogs finished the contest shooting 47.4 percent (27-of-57) from the field, but struggled from the foul line converting only 4-of-11 free throws. McPherson out-rebounded the Falcons, 38-35, but turned the ball over a game-high 15 times. Defensively, MC held Friends to only 38.6 percent shooting from the field, but the Falcons scored 21 points from beyond the three-point arc and connected on 12-of-17 trips to the foul line.
Senior forward Antowine Lamb scored a game-high 18 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field, while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Aaron Frazier was the only other Bulldog in double figures with 13 points.
McPherson opened the game stone cold from the field, as the Falcons jumped out to an early 11-0 lead. It took the Bulldogs a majority of the first half to catch up, eventually tying the game on a Dwayne Thomas layup set up by a pass from Aaron Frazier, 21-21. Lamb finished the first half with a power block to prevent Chris Jackson an easy two.
The Bulldogs entered the locker room down one, 26-25 at the end of the first 20 minutes.
McPherson shot 40.0 percent, but failed to convert on seven three-point attempts and made only 1-of-7 free throws.
A Mike Reece layup in traffic followed by a Lamb turnaround jumper in the lane gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the night, 31-28 with 15:58 left in the game. Friend answered with a couple of scores of their own to take back the lead 34-31.
Both sides traded baskets for a majority of the second half, until a Lamb put-back dunk gave MC a five point, 53-48 lead. Despite the momentum in McPherson’s favor, the Falcons answered back with two Romero Jones free throws and a nine-point swing behind three consecutive three-pointers.
The Bulldogs cut the lead to three, but could not overtake the Falcons.
