Men's Basketball | 2/22/2014 9:48:00 PM
Box Score
Winfield, Kan. – It was a tight one that came down to the final shot of the night as Bulldog basketball was triumphant against Southwestern College 82-79, securing the seventh seed in the upcoming 2013-14 KCAC Men's Basketball Postseason Tournament. Mac ends the regular season with an even 15-15 record, 8-10 against conference opponents.
"This was a gritty win and the seniors were outstanding," said Coach Swartzendruber. "We made some huge shots down the stretch and hit our last four free throws. I couldn't be more proud of a team."
There were multiple lead changes throughout the first section of Saturday's contest but a 6-0 run by the Moundbuilders put them ahead by seven near the midway point of the period; SWC stayed in front for nearly the rest of the half but were never able to pull away from the 'Dogs. A mini-run by Mac gave them the lead for one possession late in the period but Southwestern hit a three with under a minute remaining to give the Builders the 33-31 halftime advantage.
MC put 10-of-28 field goals through in the first half including just 2-of-8 from distance; they converted 9-of-13 from the foul line. Southwestern counted 12-of-30 with only two from behind the three-point line; the club went 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.
McPherson came out and took the lead early in the final period but then the two teams began trading buckets, keeping things close. SWC regained the lead and controlled the middle section of the half, getting ahead by as many as eight. A 14-3 run by the Bulldogs gave them a six-point advantage with 1:36 showing on the clock; Southwestern didn't go away, making Mac earn everything from the stripe and the 'Dogs held on by just enough as a buzzer-beating three-ball by the Moundbuilders was barely off target, allowing MC to slip away with the 82-79 victory.
The Bulldogs had one of their best halves of the season, draining in 60.7 percent from the floor, 17-of-28, including 5-of-10 from downtown; they were 12-of-18 from the stripe. SWC also shot very well, making 20-of-33, 60.6 percent, with 4-of-9 going in from range; only 2-of-6 free throws were put through the net.
Mac finished the night shooting in 48.2 percent, 27-of-56, from the field including 7-of-18 from beyond the arc; 10 points were left at the foul stripe as only 21-of-31 free throws dropped. The 'Dogs got outrebounded by nine as they tabbed just 30 boards; MC also recorded 11 assists, seven turnovers, and seven steals. 43 of the team's points were netted in the paint, 17 were second chance buckets, and 17 came from the bench.
Erik DeRoo (Tyler, Texas) had a phenomenal game, cashing in on 4-of-4 from three-point land and 4-of-4 from the stripe for a team-high 16 points. D'Onte Woods (Houston, Texas) put 14 points towards Mac's total as he made 5-of-9 from the floor and 2-of-3 from the foul line; the senior grabbed five rebounds and also had two assists. TJ Grant (South Bend, Ind.) and Samson Shivers (Houston, Texas) each totaled 13 points; Grant, who also had a team-high three assists, was 6-of-10 from the floor and 1-of-1 from the line while Shivers scored on 3-of-10 from the field and made 6-of-9 free throws.
As the seven seed, McPherson will travel to No. 2 Sterling College on February 27th for a 7:00 p.m. (CT) showdown with the Warriors; the two teams split in the regular season, each winning at home.
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