Wichita, Kan. – The McPherson College men's basketball team started out hot against the Friends University Falcons, on the Falcons' home floor on Saturday night. Unfortunately the couldn't maintain their momentum and the Falcons outlasted the Bulldogs 104-85, despite a monster game from
Grant Owens (Fr. Hutchinson, Kan.), who scored a career high 25 points in 22 minutes of action.
The Falcons have been receiving votes in the latest NAIA top 25 poll, and they currently sit at 4
th in the KCAC standings, but for the first 10 minutes on Saturday, the Bulldogs were in control, leading the them by 5, 24-19. From there however, things started going south for Mac. The home team outscored the visitors 36 to 12 over the final 10 minutes of the half, to take a 55-36 lead at the intermission.
The Bulldogs started out hot again in the second half, opening on an 8-2 run to trim the Falcon lead to 13, 57-44. Three possessions later they were within 12, 60-48, with 15-41 left in the game. The Falcons extended the lead back out to 18 at the 12:29 mark, but the Bulldogs again, trimmed the lead back down to 12, with 9:17 remaining. That would be as close as they would get the remainder of the contest. Over the final 9 minutes, the Falcons outscored the Bulldogs 32-15, to win going away.
The struggles for the Mac men came in defending the three point line, where the Falcons were 11 of 28,and in fouls. The Bulldogs were whistled for 25 personal fouls, which sent Friends to the charity stripe 33 times. The Falcons capitalized on their opportunities at the foul line with 27 makes out of those 33 attempts.
Besides Owens 25, the only other Bulldog in double figures was
Chamaje Barideaux (So. New Iberia, La.), who tallied 20.
Jeffrey Oxford (So. Claremore, Okla.) was close with 9, and
Garrett Owen (Jr. Woodward, Okla.), and
Frederick Watts (So. Houston, Texas) came up a bucket shy of double figures, each with 8.
"The first 10 minutes of the game we were great," commented Bulldog head coach
Tim Swartzendruber. "Then we were awful the next 10 and dug a hole. Our turnovers and fouls in the first half hurt."
The loss drops the Bulldogs to 6-6 overall on the season, and 3-5 in KCAC play. They will try and right the ship on Wednesday when they go on the road for a McPherson County rivalry game against the Bethany College Swedes. The Bulldogs and Swedes will tipoff at 8:00 pm following the women's game at 6:00.
MC (85) – Owens (25), Barideaux (20), Oxford (9), Owen (8), Watts (8), Gurley (6), Rivers (4), Magot (4), Munsen (1).
