Men's Basketball | 2/2/2011 9:14:00 AM
Game 24: McPherson College (12-11, 6-6 KCAC) vs Friends University (9-14, 6-6)
Thursday, February 3, 2011 | 8:00 p.m. | McPherson Sport Center | McPherson, Kan.
Game Notes (PDF)
Live Audio
The Matchup
The McPherson College men’s basketball team begins the final month of the regular season with an important home contest against Friends University Thursday night. Tipoff from the McPherson Sport Center is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.
A radio broadcast of Thursday’s game will be available at 96.7 FM KBBE Mid-Kansas Radio and an audio stream can be accessed at www.macbulldogs.com. McPherson play-by-play announcer Nick Gosnell will be on the call.
The Bulldogs (12-11, 6-6 KCAC) enter the matchup riding a season-best four game win streak following a 66-65 win against Bethel College last Saturday. MC’s other victories came against Ottawa University (81-48), Kansas Wesleyan University (83-75 OT) and Sterling College (91-83, 2OT). McPherson forced 22 Bethel turnovers, while shooting 45.5 percent (20-of-44) from the field en route to the victory.
Freshman
Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) bounced back to lead McPherson with a game-high 18 points in the win, while junior guard
Aaron Jackson (Junction City, Kan.) hit double figures for just the second time in 11 games with 14 points.
Shivers’ play at the shooting guard spot has provided a steady hand for the Bulldog attack. The freshman ranks 11th averaging 13.0 points per game, while shooting 36.8 percent from beyond the three-point line. He has tallied double figures in 10 straight games.
The Bulldogs now look to continue the streak and earn a home win against a dangerous Friends University (9-14, 6-6 KCAC) team, which has also won four straight. Friends, who were picked to win the KCAC at the preseason media day, downed the University of Saint Mary, 73-63, last Saturday night.
In the win, Friends shot 59.6 percent (28-of-47) from the floor, 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from three-point range and out-rebounded USM 31-24. The only blemish in the game was FU’s 18 turnovers.
Senior forward Mike Hyde ended the game 12-of-12 from the field en route to scoring a season-high 26 points, while Brett Steven tallied 13 in the effort.
After Friends, McPherson will return to league action Saturday night at Southwestern College. Tipoff between the Bulldogs and Moudbuilders is slated for 7:00 p.m.
Scouting the Falcons
Much like McPherson, the Falcons enter Thursday’s game looking to solidify their spot in the KCAC postseason tournament. Friends, which opened the year as the favorite to win the KCAC, is 9-14 overall and 6-6 in KCAC play following a win Saturday night at the University of Saint Mary. Despite their record, the Falcons have won four straight, including victories against Ottawa (64-48), Bethany (69-64), Bethel (55-35) and USM (73-63).
Against the Spires, Friends gashed the USM defense with a 59.6 percent (28-of-47) shooting percentage, including connecting on 6-of-16 attempts from beyond the arc. The Falcons out-rebounded the Spires, 31-24, but did turn the ball over 18 times. Senior forward Mike Hyde had his best performance of the season with 26 points on 12-of-12 shooting and was 2-of-2 from the free throw line. He also tied for the team lead with five rebounds.
The Falcons, who struggled offensively during an eight game stretch where FU lost seven of eight games, have shot an impressive 47.0 percent (101-of-215) and are averaging 65.3 points per game during their four game win streak.
Junior guard Reggie Britton is the Falcons lone starter averaging double figures at 12.8 points per game on 42.0 percent shooting on the season. He is the current active leader with 29 three-point baskets on the season. In the first meeting with McPherson, Britton scored nine points and five rebounds in 34 minutes of action.
Hyde also provides consistent offense from his forward position, despite his scoring being slightly down from a year ago. He currently averages 8.6 points per contest and shoots 54.8 percent from the field, while second on the team with 80 rebounds.
The Falcons are coached by Dale Faber, who is at his eighth season as the head coach of the Falcon men’s basketball program.
In their last meeting...
Wichita, Kan. – The Bulldogs held the Falcons to just two field goals in the final 11:50, as the McPherson College men’s basketball team edged Friends University, 59-57, Saturday evening at the Garvey Center in Wichita, Kan. The win is the first for McPherson in conference play this season.
With the win, McPherson improves to 7-7 overall and 1-3 in KCAC play, while the Falcons fall to 4-9 and 1-3 in league action.
“It was nice to bounce back with a win at Friends after a disappointing loss Thursday night,” said McPherson head coach Tim Swartzendruber. “I thought we played tremendous defense in the second half, while continuing to improve our rebounding. It was nice to get a conference win against a good Friends team going into the break.”
The MC defense held a solid Falcon offense to just 22.2 percent (6-of-27) shooting the final period, as the Bulldogs took a one point, 45-44, lead with 11:50 remaining in the game on an Aaron Frazier (McPherson, Kan.) layup off a Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) pass through traffic. The play seemed the lift the struggling Bulldogs.
Shivers finished the evening as the lone Bulldog in double-figures with 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including four three-pointers. Forwards Jake Reinhardt (Walton, Kan.) and Mason Hewitt (Norwich, Kan.) led MC with six rebounds apiece, while Trent Severs matched his season average with four assists.
Shivers connected on a three-pointer with 6:19 left to lift the Bulldogs to its largest lead, 55-47. However, Friends battled back behind four consecutive Chris Jackson free throws to cut the deficit to 57-53 with just 3:39 remaining. Despite the late push, McPherson’s defense was too strong down the stretch to earn the win.
As a team, the Bulldogs finished the night shooting 35.7 percent (20-of-56) from the field, while holding the Falcons to just 29.4 percent (20-of-68), 15.9 percent below their season average. McPherson outscored Friends, 24-12, from beyond the three-point arc.
Friends was led in scoring by Jackson, who finished the night with 14 points.
