Men's Basketball | 2/23/2011 10:31:07 PM
Box Score
Box Score
McPherson, Kan. – The Bulldogs scored 47 second half points, as the McPherson College men’s basketball team defeated Southwestern College, 83-68, Wednesday night in the quarterfinal round of the KCAC tournament. The victory advances the Bulldogs into the semifinal round for the first time since the 2008 season.
Freshman guard Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) reached double figures for the 21st time this season, as he scored a game-high 22 points, 18 in the second period, on 5-of-11 shooting and a 10-for-12 performance from the free throw line. Along with scoring, Shivers fell just one rebound shy of his season-best with seven boards.
Fellow backcourt mate, Aaron Frazier (McPherson, Kan.) posted 21 points, eight rebounds and two blocks on the night.
The two sides went back and forth in the opening 20 minutes as McPherson went into the break with a 36-33 advantage. The Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run, capped by a Trent Severs (Inman, Kan.) 3-pointer, to extend its lead out to 28-21 with 6:59 remaining in the opening half. However, Southwestern would not go away. The Builders used a pair of 3-point baskets and a 4-for-4 effort from the charity stripe to but MC’s lead to three at the break.
Both teams shot better than 44 percent, as McPherson converted 44.8 percent of attempts from the floor, while Southwestern hit 46.4 percent. However, the Bulldogs outscored Southwestern off turnovers, 13-2.
McPherson turned up the intensity to start to second period, as the Bulldogs rattled off an 11-5 run to push their advantage to nine, 50-41, with 15:18 remaining. Shivers opened the run with a 4-point play, before capping it with an alley-oop from Severs.
Southwestern cut the deficit to five following a Ethan Randolph 3-point basket, but another run by McPherson put the game at 63-49 with 8:30 left in regulation. The Bulldogs outscored Southwestern, 13-4, during the stretch, including a pair of back-to-back three’s from Shivers.
From this point on Southwestern began sending McPherson to the free throw line to attempt to slow down the run-and-gun Bulldog offense. Despite only shooting 59.5 percent (25-of-42) from the free throw line, MC proved too strong down the stretch, as the Moundbuilders would pull no closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
For the night, McPherson out-rebounded Southwestern, 44-36, while outscoring the Builders, 20-2, off turnovers.
Southwestern forwards Chris Nelson and Ethan Randolph each scored 12 points in the effort.
With the win, McPherson returns to action on Saturday, February 26 when they host Bethany College at 2:00 p.m. The winner between the Bulldogs and Swedes will advance to the KCAC championship game in Hartman Arena (Wichita, Kan.) on February 28.
