WINFIELD, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) ---
Garrett Owen (Woodward, Okla., Woodward HS) and
Aaron Bachura (Wilsey, Kan., Council Grove HS)Â scored 28 points each to lead six McPherson College men's basketball players in double figures as the Bulldogs pushed No. 6 Southwestern College to triple overtime before falling 115-109 Wednesday night at Stewart Field House.
The Bulldogs (5-18, 2-13 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) jumped out to a 9-0 lead just over two minutes in on a trio of 3-pointers - one by Bachura to open the game followed by back-to-back triples from Owen. The Moundbuilders (21-2, 14-1 KCAC) responded with a 19-4 run over the next six minutes to grab a 19-13 lead with 11:47 left in the half. Jacob Horsch drained three 3-pointers during the stretch, while LaJuan Hardy added a couple of shots from long distance.
After trailing by as many as 13 points midway through the first half, McPherson battled back to trail by just three at halftime.
The second half was a touch-and-go affair for the first 14 minutes. Southwestern gained the first real separation of the period when Andrew Hamm drained a 3-pointer to put the Builders up 72-67 with 5:11 to play. The Bulldogs cut the deficit to just one, but four straight points by Cameron Hunt once again made it a five-point game with just 1:34 remaining.
Lual Magot (Tucson, Ariz., Tohono O'odham CC) scored on a layup on McPherson's next possession, then - after a stop on defense - Bachura drained a 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime tied at 76-all.
The Bulldogs scored the first four points of the first overtime but gave up eight straight points to trail 84-80 with under a minute to play. A Bachura basket cut with 46 seconds left cut the deficit in half. After a defensive stop, Owen hit a pair of clutch free throws with just six seconds remaining on the clock to force a second extra session.
Southwestern led virtually the entire second overtime, grabbing a five-point lead on a 3-pointer by Hunt. He was matched by a triple at the other end by Bachura. After another Builder miss, the Bulldogs made three of four free throws to take a 96-95 lead with just 38 seconds remaining. Southwestern regained the lead when Hardy made a layup on the other end. Fouled on the play, he made the ensuing foul shot to make it a two-point game. On McPherson's next trip down the court, an initial shot by
Grant Munsen (Manhattan, Kan., Manhattan HS)Â initial shot was blocked out of bounds by Brent Smith.
Frederick Watts (Houston, Texas, Channelview HS) scored off the inbounds pass to tie the game at 98. Hardy's desperation shot at the other end fell short, sending the game to triple overtime.
The teams traded made baskets to open the third overtime, moving the score to 103-all with 3:06 to play. A layup by Andrew Hamm followed to put Southwestern ahead and, after a missed 3-pointer by McPherson, DJ Wallace followed with a hoop to give the Builders a four-point lead as the clock ticked under two minutes to play. Southwestern made all six of its free throws down the stretch to keep the game out of reach.Â
Both teams posted respectable shooting percentages across the board in the contest. Southwestern shot 48.0 percent (36-of-75) from the field, 42.1 percent (16-of-38) from behind the arc and 81.8 percent (27-of-33) at the line. McPherson checked in at 43.8 percent overall (35-of-80), 33.3 percent (7-of-21) from long distance, and 82.1 percent (32-of-39) at the line.
The Bulldogs also held a 48-43 advantage on the boards, including a 15-10 edge on the offensive glass.
Bachura was 11-of-24 from the field with three 3-pointers while going 3-of-4 at the line. Now with 1,177 career points, he passed Bill Smith (1,153 points) for 16th on McPherson's career scoring chart and now sits six behind Chris Crook (1,183) for 15th place. Owen finished 7-of-12 from the field with four 3-pointers and a 10-of-12 effort at the charity stripe. Both finished with five rebounds.
Munsen finished with 12 points and 18 rebounds - the most rebounds for a Bulldog since Darius Hill pulled down 19 against Ottawa on Feb. 12, 2015 - while Watts just missed a double-double with 14 points and nine assists. Oxford added 12 and
Louis Parker III (Midwest City, Okla., Midwest City HS) had 10 off the bench.
Hardy scored a game-high 35 points on 11-of-21 shooting. He drained seven 3-pointers and was also 6-of-7 at the line. Hunt added 28 points before fouling out, while Horsch had 18 and Wallace 17. Brent Smith had six points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
"We played our hearts out," said head coach
Tim Swartzendruber. " Southwestern is a tremendous team. We showed great teamwork tonight and trusted each other. Certainly, it was disappointing to not come away with the win, but we are playing better and that's exciting."
The Bulldogs return to the court Saturday evening when Sterling College pays a visit to the Sport Center. The Warriors (7-15, 5-10 KCAC) won the initial meeting between the schools, 84-75, on Dec. 2 in Sterling and are coming off a 91-82 victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan on Wednesday. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. in McPherson.
