McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) ---
Aaron Bachura (Wilsey, Kan., Council Grove HS) scored a game-high 23 points, but the McPherson College men's basketball team could not overcome a big second half run by Baker University in an 82-73 nonconference loss Saturday afternoon at the Sport Center.
A Bachura jumper just 1:19 into the game gave McPherson the first lead of the game, but Baker scored seven straight points over the next two minutes to grab a 7-2 lead. The Bulldogs rallied for eight of the next 11 to tie the game at 10-10 when
Brandon Carter (San Antonio, Texas, Athlos Leadership Academy) put back a missed free throw at the 13:25 mark.
The Wildcats quickly regained the lead, building their advantage to six on a layup by Brett Elifritz with 2:47 to play. McPherson followed with a 9-3 run capped when
Garrett Owen (Woodward, Okla., Woodward HS) stole the ball from Clae Martin and converted a fast-break layup to tie the game at 36-36 with 34 seconds remaining. Baker took a 37-36 lead into the locker room at halftime when Tyree Peter hit the first of two free throws after being fouled with 0.5 seconds on the clock.
Both teams were efficient from the field in the first half as each shot at least 56.0 percent from the field. Baker was 14-of-23 (60.9 percent) from the field, while McPherson was 14-of-25 (56.0 percent).
The teams traded baskets to open the second half. After Stephen Edwards pushed Baker in front with a 3-pointer,
Grant Munsen (Manhattan, Kan., Manhattan HS) was fouled on a layup and converted the 3-point play to tie the score at 42-42 with 18:24 remaining. Aided by a poor shooting stretch by the Bulldogs and early foul trouble, the Wildcats scored 12 straight points en route to a 22-3 run to take a 64-45 lead with 9:29 left. McPherson went nearly seven minutes without a field goal between Munsen's layup and a 3-pointer by
Justin Wiltfong (Stockton, Kan., Stockton HS) at the 11:46 mark and was 1-of-14 from the field during Baker's run.
Baker extended the lead to 21 points on a 3-pointer by Peter at the 6:36 mark, but McPherson outscored the Wildcats, 15-2, over the next 4:47 to cut the Baker advantage to single digits with 1:49 to play. The Wildcats hit seven of eight free throws down the stretch to keep the game out of reach.
McPherson picked up its seventh foul of the second half wth 17:34 to play in the game, leaving the visitors in the bonus and shooting free throws on McPherson fouls the rest of the way. Baker finished 23-of-29 at the charity stripe in the second half alone, and 26-of-35 overall, while the Bulldogs were just 11-of-16 overall.
Bachura, who entered the game mired in a 1-for-30 slump from behind the arc dating back to the Bulldogs' Nov. 4 game against Hastings, finished 5-for-11 from long range and 9-of-17 from the field overall. Owen and
Grant Raleigh (Hesston, Kan., Hesston HS) each finished with 13 points with Owen adding four assists, four steals and three rebounds. Raleigh chipped in with three assists, while Munsen added seven points. Wiltfong and
Louis Parker III (Midwest City, Okla., Midwest City HS) had five points apiece off the bench.
After shooting 56.0 percent in the first half, McPherson cooled off to just 36.1 percent (13-of-36) in the second half to finish at 44.3 percent (27-of-61) overall. Baker's shooting fell off as well, shooting 42.9 percent (9-of-21) in the second half, but still finished at 52.3 percent (23-of-44) overall.
Four Baker players finished in double figures, led by Peter with 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two assists. Peter was just 3-of-4 from the field, but converted 10 of 13 opportunities at the line. Martin had 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including four 3-pointers, off the bench, while Brock Mick added 15 points and five assists and Edwards had 11.
The Wildcats committed 17 turnovers to the Bulldogs' 11 but won the battle on the boards by a 36-26 margin.
"We played better today," said head coach
Tim Swartzendruber. "Baker is good. We missed some shots when the game was close and we couldn't recover. We fought to the end and that was positive. We need to be ready next week when we get back to conference play."
The Bulldogs (1-7, 0-3 KCAC) dive right back into conference play on Wednesday evening when No. 13 Southwestern College (9-0, 3-0 KCAC) pays a visit to the Sport Center.
