Bulldogs Roll Past Bears 93-70

Article by Quincy Williams
Photo by Micah Gilbert

McPherson, Kan. - The McPherson College men's basketball team beat the Barclay Bears 93-70 Friday night. The Bulldogs improve to 2-0 on the season. 

Lual Magot (Sr. Tucson, AZ) and Kemryn Jenkins (Jr. Eminence, KY) combined for the first 11 points of the game for the Bulldogs. Both teams shot well initially. The score was 11-10 in favor of the Bulldogs with 13 minutes left in the first half before the 'Dogs went on an 18-5 run to bring the score to 29-15.

The scoring was led mostly by the bench mob duo of Josh Rivers (So. Midwest City, OK) and Grant Munsen (Sr. Manhattan, KS). Starting point guard Dorian Paige (Sr. Tucson, AZ) added a velvety three-point basket to push the lead to 17. The Bears shooters were cold from the field for the majority of the first half. However, late in the half, they were able to regroup and string together some consecutive buckets. The Bulldogs led by 15 at halftime, 46-31. They shot 45.9% from the field and hit 6 threes. 

The Bulldogs opened the second half on an 11 to 1 run. Jenkins and Travon Shelvin (So. Pearland, Texas) rained down a barrage of threes. The Bulldogs pulled ahead early in the second half and the Bears never threatened the lead.

"I was happy with our effort tonight" said Bulldog head coach TJ Eskildsen. "We need to get better and put a full 40 minutes together, but we are showing flashes of the potential we have as a team. If we keep playing with the same effort and energy I think we will keep taking steps in the right direction."

Notes: Magot pulled down 11 rebounds tonight, tallied 14 efficient points on five of seven shooting, and played tenacious defense. Munsen brought instant-energy off the bench and had two rim-rattling dunks. Jenkins finished with 21 points to lead the team. Fred Watts (Jr. Channelview, Texas) was also extremely active; collecting 12 points and 9 rebounds in the game, and Paige led the team with six assits. The Bulldogs had 19 turnovers a number Coach Eskildsen will surely want to see come down. 

No rest for the weary, as the Bulldogs will be back on the hardwood tomorrow at 6 p.m. when they host the Bacone College Warriors in game two of the Mac Classic.
 
MAC (93) – Jenkins (21), Magot (14), Shelvin (14), Watts (12), Hightower (7), Paige (7), Rivers (5), Munsen (4), Bruncevic (3), Aguillard (3), Calleros (2), McCrary (1).