Men's Basketball | 1/31/2014 1:09:00 PM
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McPherson, Kan. – The win-streak for Bulldog basketball will be contested on Saturday as McPherson travels to Sterling, Kansas for a bout with the 16-5, 9-2 Warriors of Sterling College; JV tips off at 3:00 p.m. (CT) with the varsity commencing at 7:00
This past Wednesday, Mac was challenged by the defending KCAC Regular Season Champion Saint Mary Spires. The largest lead of the first half was five points as the two teams were always within striking distance of each other. When the halftime buzzer sounded, it was all tied up at 29-29. McPherson hit on 12-of-24 from two-point range but 0-of-8 from distance in the opening period; they converted on 5-of-6 from the stripe. USM went 9-of-21 from inside the arc but just 1-of-8 when they stepped behind the line; they knocked in 8-of-10 from the free throw line.
In the second half, the Bulldogs quickly put together a double-digit advantage that eventually reached the 14-point mark midway through the period. Saint Mary pushed back with an 8-0 run to pull within six but was never able to get back in front. MC kept a small lead for the remainder of the contest, ending it with a 73-65 victory. The 'Dogs upped their shooting percentage, dropping in 15-of-37 with 2-of-4 going through from deep; they counted 12-of-18 free throws including seven of their final eight tries. USM was 13-of-35 in the second half with three from long range; they connected on 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.
The Bulldogs shot in 39.1 percent of their attempts, 27-of-69 from the floor for the game and continued to struggle from distance as a mere 2-of-12 fell in. They grabbed 43 rebounds, two less than USM, but hauled in 15 off the offensive glass, 12 coming in the second half. They had 16 assists, nine turnovers, three steals and a block in their win. 37 of Mac's points were scored in the paint while 16 were second-chance buckets.
Senior Joey Powers led MC in scoring with his 20 points on 10-of-17 shooting; he recorded six rebounds and the team's lone block. Brain (BJ) Johnson went 4-of-9 from the floor and 6-of-9 from the stripe for his 14 points; he had five rebounds and a team-high five assists. Next to hit double-digits scoring was Samson Shivers as he bucketed 3-of-7 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the foul line for 13 points; he was rebound away from a double-double, ending the game with nine. The double-double king, Devirous Johnson, barely recorded his 17th of the year as he made two free throws in the final minutes to give him 10 points on the night; he was 4-of-14 from the floor and hit his two lone foul shots while pulling in 12 boards, four on the offensive side of the court.
'Dogs in the Rankings: Mac is currently fourth in the NAIA D-II in Total Rebounds with 955 and sit 12th in Rebounds per Game at 41.522; the squad ranks 13th in Offensive Rebounds per Game and 17th in Defensive Rebounds per Game with 13.435 and 28.087, respectively. D. Johnson is still atop the NAIA in Total Rebounds (289), Rebounds per Game (12.565), and Defensive Rebounds per Game (8.435) while ranking second in Offensive Rebounds per Game (4.13).
Scouting McPherson: Bulldog basketball is averaging 78.1 points per game through their 23 contests while posting a 1.391 scoring margin; they bucket 44.1 percent of their field goals with 26.8 percent falling from range. The team tabs 41.5 rebounds a night while recording 14.8 assists, 13 turnovers, 5.4 steals and 2.8 blocks. In the KCAC, Mac averages 74.5 points on offense while allowing 73.27, third best in the league; they make 42.6 percent from the field but a conference-low 23.1% from behind the arc. Their defense is posting a 40.7 field goal percentage allowed, tops of the KCAC. The squad is second best in rebounding per game with 42.54 and places first in assists a night with 15.27.
The Bulldogs are on the road for their first game next week as they travel to No. 23 Friends University on February 6th; the Thursday night contest is set to start at 8:00 p.m.
Scouting Sterling
The Warriors are amidst a streak of their own, winning their last four games which include triumphs over the other two KCAC leading teams in Friends University, 91-87, and Bethany College, 100-95. SC has won 13 of their last 14 games with the most recent victory being an 85-78 W against Bethel College.
It was a close first few minutes between BC and Sterling but a 12-0 run by the Threshers sparked a surge that put Bethel ahead by 10+ midway through the half. SC closed out the final minutes with a mini-run to take the lead, 36-35, as they headed into the locker room. The Warriors came out of the break still hot and mounted a double-digit lead of their own five minutes in; Sterling stayed on top the rest of the way, holding off any Thresher run for a seven-point win. SC posted a 44.3 field goal percentage for the game, making 27-of-61 from the floor including 10-of-35 from downtown; only 21-of-32 fell in from the foul line. Sterling recorded just 33 rebounds but 14 came off the offensive glass; they also netted 13 assists, nine turnovers, nine steals and a block in their win.
Braden Thompson led the scoring for SC with his 32 points, cashing in on 11-of-19 from the field, 6-of-13 from deep, and 4-of-4 from the stripe. Darius Alexander put in 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and 6-of-12 showing from the foul line; he also recorded five rebounds and a team-high four assists. Eddie Adesodun logged 18 points, making 5-of-12 field goals and all six of his free throws.
This season, the Warriors post an impressive 92 points per game on offense and see 44.8 percent of their field goals drop through; they have a positive scoring margin of 6.762 and bucket 9.3 balls from behind the arc a night, shooting in 36%. They are a 71.1 percent free throw shooting team through their 21 contests. SC tabulates 39.9 rebounds an outing and has a positive 3.1 rebounding margin. The squad nets 13.3 assists, 11.4 turnovers, 6.2 steals, and 2.8 blocks a night. In their 11 games with KCAC opponents, Sterling averages 86 points on offense and allows 83.9 on defense; they score on 42.5 percent of their field goals and score an average of 9.3 from deep each time out which puts them atop the conference. They haul in 38.7 rebounds a game to go along with 12.8 assists, 6.0 steals and 2.6 blocks.
Thompson puts in 18.3 points a contest, knocking down 46.8 percent from the floor; he has hit 43 three balls this season, making over 40% from deep. Adesodun tallies 17.4 each time out and has made a team leading 47 from downtown on the year; he's atop the squad in minutes played, averaging 29.7 a night. Alexander is scoring 13.5 while pulling in a team-high 5.3 rebounds; he also leads the way in assists with 66 on the season. The final warrior to hit the double-digit mark consistently is Brandon Givens as he averages 11.0; he has come off the bench in each of the team's 21 contests.
Sterling will host Tabor College for their next contest, coming February 6th.
