Men's Basketball | 12/3/2011 11:40:00 PM
Box Score Box Score
Hillsboro, Kan. – All five starters scored in double figures and the team shot better than 40 percent for the third straight contest, as the No. 8 McPherson College men’s basketball team defeated Tabor College, 75-69, in a hard-fought game Saturday night in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference action.
With the victory, McPherson improved to 12-1 overall and 2-0 in KCAC play, while Tabor falls to 3-8 overall and 0-2 in the league.
For the seventh time this season,
Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) led the Bulldogs with 18 points on 6-for-15 shooting from the field, including a team-high three 3-pointers.
Aaron Frazier (McPherson, Kan.) was second on the team in scoring with 16 points, while
Jordan Crawford (McPherson, Kan.) posted his second straight double-double with 15 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.
Kenny Berry, Jr. (Lee's Summit, Mo.) and
Chris Crawford (McPherson, Kan.), who each finished the contest perfect from the foul line, rounded out the MC double figure scorers with 10 points each.
As a team, the Bulldogs shot 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the floor, while converting 71.9 percent (23-of-32) of free throw attempts. McPherson overcame 16 turnovers, including nine in the first half, by holding a 45-35 edge in rebounding.
McPherson, who fell behind early as Tabor opened the game with an 8-2 run, utilized an 11-2 run at the midway point of the first half to take a 23-18 lead at the 10 minute mark. The outburst was highlighted by a pair of Shivers baskets and a Frazier slam-dunk.
Tabor, however, continued to battle and eventually tied the score, 27-27, with a little under six minutes left in the opening period. McPherson answered with nine straight points before the Blue Jays closed the half with back-to-back scores to cut the Bulldog advantage to 36-31 at the break.
The two teams resumed exactly where they left off in the first half with Tabor pulling the game within three, 49-46, following a Joe Penn old-fashioned three-point play. However, much like they did every time TC pulled close, McPherson answered with an 8-2 run capped Shiver’s third 3-point basket of the night off a Frazier assist to take a 57-48 lead with 9:15 remaining.
McPherson would convert 11 of their last 14 free throws to seal the victory.
The Blue Jays, who saw their losing streak extended to five games, shot 41.0 percent (25-of-61) from the field, but were only 6-for-27 from beyond the arc. Additionally, Tabor struggled at the free throw line, shooting 61.9 percent (13-of-21).
Penn led the Blue Jays with 24 points, while Lawson Kingsley added 18 points, respectively.
The Bulldogs return to the court on Thursday, Dec. 8 when they host Sterling College at 8 p.m. (CT) inside the McPherson Sport Center.
