Men's Basketball | 1/18/2012 11:43:00 PM
Box Score Box Score
Lindsborg, Kan. – Guards
Aaron Frazier (McPherson, Kan.) and
Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) led four Bulldogs in double figures with 22 points each, as the No. 6 McPherson College men’s basketball team utilized a strong second half en route to an impressive 82-64 victory over Bethany College Wednesday night at Hahn Gymnasium.
The victory improves McPherson to 19-2 overall and 8-1 in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play, while the Swedes fall to 6-11 overall and 4-5 in league action.
In addition to identical points, Frazier and Shivers each finished the contest a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Frazier ended the game 8-for-12 from the field, while Shivers was 6-of-13, including a 4-for-9 effort from 3-point range. Additionally, Frazier grabbed eight rebounds and dished out two assists.
Forward
Jordan Crawford (McPherson, Kan.) joined the duo in double-digits with 14 points and nine rebounds, while guard
Adam Bruner (McPherson, Kan.) finished one point shy of a career-high with 13 points. Bruner also led the team with two steals.
For the game, McPherson shot 49.2 percent (30-of-61) from the field, including a 60.0 percent (15-of-25) effort in the second half. The Bulldogs strong second half was aided by a 17-of-18 effort at the foul line, as MC finished 18-for-22 (81.8 percent) – a new season high - at the charity stripe.
The Bulldogs opened the game with an 11-5 run, before extending its advantage 18-9 following a Bruner steal, which turned into a three-point play. However, Bethany stormed back with a 15-4 stretch of their own that included four 3-pointers from three different Swedes to take their first lead of the contest, 24-22, with 6:45 left in the opening half.
Jordan Crawford would tie the score, 24-24, with a jumper on MC’s next possession, but Bethany’s triangle offense continued to cause Bulldog defensive issues. The Swedes took a 38-32 lead with 2:01 remaining on a Trey Beachum three-point play. Neither team scored over the final two minutes of the period.
McPherson shot a respectable 41.7 percent (15-of-36) in the first half, but were outrebounded 30-16.
BC claimed its largest lead of the night, 40-32, on the opening possession of the second half, before the Bulldogs cut the deficit to two points behind back-to-back Shivers’ threes. The two sides traded baskets over the next three minutes before the Bulldogs took the suspense out of the contest with a 26-2 run spanning eight minutes. The stretch gave MC a game-high 68-47 lead with 6:03 remaining. Defensively, McPherson held Bethany without a field goal for the entire stretch.
The Swedes would get no closer than 16 points the remainder of the game, as McPherson cruised to the 18-point victory.
Trey Beachum and Quenton Jennings led Bethany with 12 points each. BC finished the game shooting 31.4 percent (22-of-70) from the field and 52.2 percent (12-of-23) at the free throw line.
The Bulldogs will return to action Saturday, Jan. 21, as they host Bethel College at 7 p.m.
