Men's Basketball | 12/3/2010 4:54:40 PM
Game 12: McPherson College (6-5, 0-1) at Ottawa University (2-6, 0-1)
Saturday, December 4, 2010 | Wilson Field House | Ottawa, Kan.
Game Notes (PDF)
Live Audio
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The Matchup
The McPherson College men’s basketball team (6-5, 0-1) travels to Ottawa University (2-6, 0-1) for a 7:00 p.m. matchup against the Braves. The Bulldogs are seeking their first conference win of the season following a loss to Kansas Wesleyan. Tipoff for the matchup is set for 7:00 p.m. inside Wilson Field House. A radio broadcast is being provided by 96.7 FM KBBE MidKansas Radio with an audio stream provided at www.macbulldogs.com.
McPherson enters the weekend riding a three-game winless streak, including losses against Kansas Wesleyan University, St. Olaf College and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Against the Coyotes, MC committed 15 first half fouls and shot a dismal 25.8 percent (8-of-31) from the field. The early struggles proved too much for the Bulldogs to recover from, as KWU picked up the 69-52 victory.
The Bulldogs continue to be led offensively by newcomer
Aaron Jackson (Junction City, Kan.). Jackson, MC’s lone double-digit scorer against the Coyotes, averages a team-leading 15.1 points per game. Junior forward
Jordan Crawford (McPherson, Kan.) ranks second on the team at 10.5 points per game.
Ottawa ranks 10th in the latest KCAC standings with a 2-6 overall record and 0-1 mark in league play. The Braves, losers of two straight, are coming off a heartbreaking 63-65 defeat at Bethel College. Twenty-seven OU fouls turned into 23 Thresher points gave BC the necessary advantage en route to the win.
Scouting Ottawa
Ottawa ranks 10th in the latest KCAC standings with a 2-6 overall record and 0-1 mark in league play. The Braves, losers of two straight, are coming off a heartbreaking 63-65 defeat at Bethel College. Twenty-seven OU fouls turned into 23 Thresher points gave BC the necessary advantage en route to the win. Both of OU’s wins on the season came against Baker University.
Sophomore guard Chase Dippel averages 12.3 points per game to lead the Brave offensive attack. On the year, Dippel is shooting 44.2 percent (34-of-77) from the field and 44.0 percent (22-of-50) from beyond the arc. Other Braves averaging double figures include Corey Smith (10.5 points per game) and Larry Barber (10.4 points per game).
Head coach Andy Carrier is in his 21st season at the helm of the Ottawa University men’s basketball program and owns an Ottawa best 268 wins during his tenure.
In their last meeting...
Mike Reece led a balanced offense with 18 points, while Aaron Frazier added 16 as McPherson pulled away early in the first half Thursday night for a 74-58 win over Ottawa University in Wilson Field House.
McPherson held the Braves to the third worst field goal percentage against the Bulldogs this season to improve its record to 9-2 in KCAC play and 16-4 overall. Ottawa fell for the fourth time in five games, dropping to 3-8 in league action while falling to 5-16 on the season.
Coming off an embarrassing loss at Kansas Wesleyan, the Bulldogs ripped off a 28-9 run spanning the initial 11 minutes of the first half to break open the game. The run was capped by a Mason Hewitt jumper in the paint off a feed from Frazier.
However, behind two three pointers from Kyle Schreiner and three free throws from Isaac Johnston, Ottawa clawed themselves back into the game, cutting the McPherson lead to nine, 33-21 with a little under five minutes remaining in the first half. Although, McPherson answered the call, shutting down the Braves the rest of the half to enter the locker room with a 10 point, 41-31 lead at the break.
The Bulldog defense held Ottawa to just 29.2 percent shooting from the field. Offensively McPherson shot 54.2 percent in the first half, including 14-of-17 from the free throw line.
Just as they did in the first half, McPherson opened the second period with a 11-2 run on 6-of-6 shooting to extend their 10-point halftime lead out to 21, 54-33.
McPherson found their largest lead of the night with 10:25 remaining as Reece put-back a missed three-point attempt by Frazier to make it 62-38 Bulldogs.
Ottawa chipped away at the lead, but the Bulldogs proved to be too much down the stretch.
McPherson finished the game hitting 47.3 percent from the field, including a near season-high 80.0 percent from the foul stripe. The Bulldogs forced Ottawa into 15 turnovers, while out rebounding the Braves 37-32.
Ottawa finished the night shooting just 35.4 percent from the field.
McPherson presented a balanced attack as 11 different Bulldogs scored at least two points.
