Men's Basketball | 2/24/2013 12:28:00 PM
Game Notes
Live Audio
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McPherson, Kan. – After providing two upsets, the Bulldog basketball squad will look to chalk up another one on Tuesday as they take on KCAC No. 3 Sterling College with a trip to the NAIA National Tournament on the line. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. (CT) on February 26th at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan.
The game will be broadcasted live in the McPherson area on 96.7 FM KBBE Mid-Kansas Radio and at Macbulldogs.com with Nick Gosnell on the call with former McPherson basketball coach Roger Trimmell doing the color commentary. Steve Sell will join the broadcast with halftime and postgame insight and analysis. All links to live game statistics, audio or video can be found at Macbulldogs.com
Smoky Hills Public Television (SHPTV) will provide broadcast coverage of both games on Championship Monday, starting at 6:00 P.M. KPTS (Wichita), KTWU (Topeka), and KCPT (Kansas City) will also carry the live broadcasts and offer replay broadcasts of both games as well.
SHPTV's broadcast will also be available via live stream on KCACsports.com.
For a comprehensive list of information pertaining to Championship Monday television coverage, please click here.
The winner of Tuesday night’s competition will join the University of Saint Mary in Point Lookout, Missouri for the 2012-13 NAIA National Tournament that runs from March 6th through the 12th. The Spires have already booked their ticket by becoming the KCAC Regular Season Champions.
How McPherson Got There
Mac is in the middle of a three-game win streak with all three ending in emotional victories. The ‘Dogs, as you may recall, lost nearly all of their tight contests in the earlier stages of the season but now seem to have things put together, coming at the perfect time in the conference tournament.
In game one of the postseason tourney, McPherson, as the No. 8 seed, traveled to take on the KCAC’s top team, the University of Saint Mary Spires for a Friday night showdown. The Bulldogs had a tough time getting going and trailed by as many as 15 in the opening minutes but they were able to climb back into things with a 10-2 run and headed into the locker room down 41-40.
The second half began with a back-and-forth style of scoring with USM maintaining the advantage; MC’s Kasey Miller, a senior in potentially his final game, then went unconscious from behind the arc and helped Mac take control. The Spires pulled things closer in the final minutes and eventually took the lead by three with 28 seconds remaining. Miller, in route to a career-high 21 points, nailed a dead-away three pointer to tie things and force overtime.
In OT, Saint Mary scored the first point but then a 7-0 run by the Bulldogs put MC on top 83-77 with 40 seconds remaining. Two points by USM brought their deficit to four points but eight-straight free throws helped McPherson hold off the Spires, giving Mac the incredible victory 91-82.
In the second game of the tournament, the Bulldogs drew No. 4 Friends University who had just dismantled the No. 5 Bethany College Terrible Swedes. The first period was kept within a few points as McPherson owned the largest lead at six points. Friends ended the half on top 36-34 after putting a few consecutive baskets in, mainly relying on their shooting from downtown.
Period number two was about as exciting as it could get as both teams knew what was at stake. The Falcons controlled the first part of the half but slowly the tides began to turn in the favor of MC and a back-and-forth battle lasted all the way to the final few. Mac was down eight with only a couple minutes to go but a 13-4 run culminated in a buzzer beater bucket by Miller, giving the Bulldogs a spot in the championships game after their 81-80 win.
How Sterling Got There
The No. 3 Warriors took on the No. 6 Southwestern College Moundbuilders in the opening round of the conference tournament. SC took the tip and never looked back, scoring from downtown in the beginning minutes and jumping out to a 16 point lead by the midway point of the half. Sterling was on top 41-35 as the halftime buzzer sounded.
In the second period, Raheem Odomes scored 19 points and was too much for the Builders to handle. The Warriors rode the senior’s wave all the way to the end of the game, taking a 98-79 round one victory.
The second game of the postseason tournament pitted SC with No. 7 Ottawa University after their upset of No. 2 Tabor College the day before. The Warriors did not seem to be impressed with the Braves’ accomplishment and took it to them early and often. Braden Thompson scored 18 first half points, helping Sterling to a 47-36 halftime advantage.
The Warriors didn’t give way one bit in the second half, using their fast break offense to put some easy points on the board. The SC defense held Ottawa back in the final few minutes and Adam Brown’s 15th double-double finished things for Sterling 87-71.
Scouting Sterling
SC has averaged over 75 points scored this season and are converting nearly 45% of their field goals; they cash in on 6.8 three pointers a contest while hitting 33.4 percent from deep. They are the KCAC leaders in rebounds per outing, pulling down 41.6 a game while outrebounding their opponents by nearly five boards. The Warriors rack-up 12.2 assists each time they touch the court while turning it over 14.5 times and stealing back 5.9.
Odomes is averaging 16 points per contest, third in the conference, making 51.9 percent from the floor. Brown ranks second on the team in scoring with 13.6 a game while pulling down a team-high and KCAC second best 9.1 rebounds each time out. Eddie Adesodun buckets 12 a contest and is followed by Darius Alexander who scores 10.1 while leading the squad in three-point field goals with 68 for the year.
