Men's Basketball | 1/21/2011 9:33:14 AM
Game 21: McPherson College (9-11, 3-6 KCAC) at Kansas Wesleyan University (7-12, 4-5 KCAC)
Saturday, January 22, 2011 | 7:00 p.m. | Mabee Arena | Salina, Kan.
Game Notes (PDF)
KCAC Game of the Week Broadcast
The Matchup
After snapping a three-game winless streak with a double overtime win against Sterling College, the McPherson College men’s basketball team travels to Mabee Arena in Salina, Kan. to take on a surging Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes. The matchup has been tabbed as the KCAC Game of the Week and will be broadcast by the conference office.
Saturday’s game has a scheduled tipoff of 7:00 p.m. The KCAC video cast can be seen at www.kcacsports.com/bn.html. There will be no radio broadcast provided by 96.7 FM KBBE Mid-Kansas Radio due to a programming conflict.
McPherson (9-11, 3-6) knocked off KCAC leader Sterling College, 91-83, in a double overtime thriller Wednesday night at the McPherson Sport Center. McPherson ended the game shooting 48.6 percent (35-of-72) from the floor, including a 7-of-13 effort in the two overtimes, while the defense held the Warriors to 40.8 percent (29-of-71). The Bulldogs out-rebounded Sterling, 48-39, including 10 rebounds from Jordan Crawford and six from Trent Severs.
Samson Shivers led five Bulldogs in double-digits with 18 points. It marks the seventh straight game, 13th overall, that Shivers has scored double figures. Trent Severs tallied eight first half assists en route to a season-high nine assists to lead the Bulldogs. His performance ranks him eighth in the NAIA with 99 total assists on the season.
Kansas Wesleyan is coming off an impressive 63-39 win over Bethel College on Thursday night. The victory improves the Coyotes to 7-12 overall and 4-5 in conference play. KWU shot 54.8 percent (23-of-42) from the floor, including 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from three-point range, while Bethel connected on a dismal 25.0 percent (13-of-52) from the field.
McPherson returns home after the weekend contest with Kansas Wesleyan to take on Ottawa University on Thursday, January 27. Tipoff between the Bulldogs and Braves is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
Scouting Kansas Wesleyan
Despite a six game losing streak spanning most of December and early January, the Coyotes (7-12, 4-5 KCAC) have won two of their last three, including an impressive, 63-39, road win at Bethel College on Thursday night. The Coyotes trademark aggressive defensive style held the Threshers to 25.0 percent (13-of-52) shooting, while out-rebounding BC, 34-26.
Offensively, Kansas Wesleyan had one of their best shooting nights of the season, connecting on 54.8 percent (23-of-42) of attempts, including a 5-of-11 effort from beyond the arc. Senior guard Matt Dickman tallied a game-high 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor.
Dickman has shown a great ability to find the basket throughout the season, as the 6-0 guard leads the KCAC averaging 17.4 points per game on a 42.5 percent shooting percentage, while leading the team with 33 assists. A starter through most of the season, Dickman has come off the bench in the Coyotes last three contests.
In the first meeting with McPherson, Dickman tallied 24 points and five rebounds. He ended the contest 10-of-16 from the floor.
Senior forward, and fellow Arizona native, Wes Jones completes the two headed monster of the Coyote offensive attack. Jones ranks second on the team averaging 10.8 points per game, but leads the team with 128 total rebounds (6.7 per game) and a 51.4 percent shooting percentage.
As a team, Kansas Wesleyan is scoring an average of 65.5 points on a 40.0 percent shooting percentage. The Coyotes hold a 2.9 edge in rebound margin.
Head coach Mike Davert leads the Coyote men’s basketball program.
In their last meeting...
McPherson, Kan. – McPherson shot a near season-low 31.6 percent (18-of-57) from the floor, including 25.8 percent (8-of-31) in the first half as the Bulldogs were unable to overcome the visiting Kansas Wesleyan University Coyotes, 69-52, Thursday evening at the McPherson Sport Center.
With the loss, the Bulldogs fall to 6-5 overall and 0-1 in KCAC play, while the Coyotes improve to 4-5 overall and 1-0 in conference.
Junior guard Aaron Jackson (Junction City, Kan.) was the lone Bulldog in double figures with 11 points, including a 3-of-9 effort from beyond the arc, while senior guard Franz Grossmann (Klagenfurt, Austria) provided a spark off the bench with nine.
Kansas Wesleyan, who entered the game riding a two-game losing streak, took control of the game right from the opening tip with a 22-7 run that included nine points off free throws. McPherson closed the gap to seven following a Grossmann three-pointer from the wing, but Bulldog fouls provided the Coyotes the opportunity to extend their lead back to 36-25 at the end of the first half.
The Bulldogs shot a dismal 8-of-31 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes and committed 15 personal fouls leading to 14 Kansas Wesleyan points.
McPherson would cut the lead to 13 twice in the second half, but the Coyotes would prove too strong down the stretch, extending their margin to 69-52 in the final minute of play.
Guard Matthew Dickman led KWU with 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting, while Wes Jones added 12.
McPherson returns to action Saturday, Dec. 4 as they travel to Ottawa University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
