McPherson, Kan – This past week, the McPherson Bulldogs took on two KCAC opponents in the Holman Fieldhouse. They would take on the Tabor College Bluejays on Wednesday night and the University of Saint Mary Spires on Saturday evening. In both contests, the Bulldogs displayed a high-caliber offense that made you believe if they had taken a half-court shot, it more than likely would've gone in.
The Basics
Location: Holman Fieldhouse
Records: MC 7-3 (3-1 KCAC), TC 2-7 (0-4 KCAC)
Score: MC 95, TC 74
How it Happened
The Bluejays of Tabor College started this ballgame off with the lead after an 8-3 run that lasted just over three minutes. It wouldn't be until the 5:15 mark of the first half where
KJ Marshall's fastbreak layup off a
Jayden Wright steal gave McPherson the lead at 27-26. From this point on, the Bulldogs scored on four consecutive possessions and grew their lead to 13 with seconds ticking away in the half. Tabor's Kam Kaniper would make a jumper just before the buzzer, but McPherson ran into the locker room with a 48-37 advantage accompanied with a 51% rate from the floor. Joe Gonzales ended the half with four three pointers but wasn't done quite yet.
The second half was an opportunity for the Bulldogs to put on a shooting clinic as McPherson shot 55% (18-33) from inside the arc and an astounding rate of 73% from three-point territory, with the attack from distance led primarily by Gonzales who matched his four triples in the first half with four in the second. His eight three pointers on the night tied a program record for the most three pointers in a single game of basketball. Offensively, Gonzales was closely followed by Freshman
Korbin Gunn who ended his night with 24 points, going 8 of 15 from the floor and putting up ten assists to complete the double-double.
Tabor's closest attempt to leveling the game came at the 8:10 mark of the second half where Jake Weaver's tip-in layup put the game to within five points, but the Bulldogs' efficiency was too much for the Bluejays as McPherson took their third KCAC victory of the season by way of 95-74.
The Basics
Location: Holman Fieldhouse
Records: MC 8-3 (4-1 KCAC), USM 6-4 (1-4 KCAC)
Score: MC 103, USM 92
How it Happened
Following their dominant victory on Wednesday over Tabor College, the Bulldogs took on the Saint Mary Spires in their weekend matchup. McPherson had taken Wednesday's offensive attack and kept it running in their Saturday matchup, shooting 58% (36-62) from the floor and knocking home eight three-point attempts. The Spires would throw up more attempts but not be able to match the conversion rate of McPherson's attack.
Korbin Gunn finished the contest with a career-high 32 points and three steals accompanied with 13 of 14 made free throw shots. The Bulldogs ended up with 43 rebounds compared to Saint Mary's 35, but the Spires were able to create more opportunities with their offensive boards with 20 second change points.
McPherson's largest lead of the game was at the 8:21 mark of the second half where
Dallas Metzger's free throw to convert his "and-one" attempt gave McPherson a 21-point advantage. The Spires began to cut the lead down to single digits in the later stretch of the half, but the Bulldogs held on for their eighth win of the season at 103-92 over Saint Mary.
Up Next
The Bulldogs head to Lindsborg, KS to face the Bethany College Swedes on December 10
th at 8:00 PM.
