SLC Dec. 28 Men's Basketball Report

[Guest abovetherim]

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Shamir McDaniel scored a career-high 25 points but a jumper at the end of overtime missed and the Sam Houston State Bearkats (10-1) fell for the first time this year, 79-78 to San Diego State.

The Bearkats looked like they were going to escape with a victory in regulation, but with a chance to ice the game, John Gardiner missed a pair of free throws and the Aztecs came back the other way and scored with less than a second remaing to tie the game and force overtime.

At the end of overtime, the Kats led heading into the final seconds again, and once again, the Aztecs came up with a big shot. Gardiner hit a jumper with 30 seconds left to play to put SHSU up 78-77. The Aztecs came down the floor and fired up a three that missed, but Billy White grabbed the offensive rebound and put it back for the win.

Ryan Bennett (12) and Jeremy Thomas (11) both came off the bench to score in double figures for the Kats.

The Kats will remain in California for one more game, taking on Loyola Marymount Sunday afternoon.

Dec. 28 Scores:

At UTSA 77, McMurry 56

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Junior Joey Shank poured in a game-high 22 points to help guide UTSA past McMurry, 77-56, on Friday night at the Convocation Center.

Shank drained a season high-tying six 3-pointers en route to his second 20-point outing of the year, while junior Travis Gabbidon added 14 points and matched junior Antoine Dade with a team-best eight rebounds as the Roadrunners improved to 6-5 on the season.

UTSA broke open a close game late in the first half, outscoring McMurry, 17-2, over the final five minutes to take a 37-23 lead into the locker room. Gabbidon keyed a 10-2 stretch to begin the second half as the Roadrunners’ 26-4 run over an 8:40 span put the game out of reach.

Shank was red-hot to start the game, nailing his first four attempts from downtown to help stake the Roadrunners to a 13-10 lead through the first eight minutes. He finished 6-of-10 from behind the arc, while UTSA made a season-high 10 3-pointers as a team.

Senior Isaiah Allen and freshman JohnMark Ludwick contributed eight points apiece, while freshman Devin Gibson posted nine assists — one shy of his season high — and five steals.

UTSA forced 19 turnovers in the first half, the most in a half by an opponent this season, as McMurry committed an opponent-high 30 miscues for the game, 14 of those steals. The Roadrunners scored 33 points off turnovers, including eight on fast breaks.

Chris Beck led McMurry, which fell to 3-6, with 12 points, while Chris Gammage pulled down a team-high six rebounds.

The Roadrunners face Oklahoma State next Wednesday, Jan. 2, in the first of three straight road games. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Georgia Southern 78, A&M-Corpus Christi 69

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Justin Reynolds led the Islanders with 22 points and 12 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season, but Georgia Southern pulled away in the second half to take a 78-69 win over the Islanders.  The setback marked the first time A&M-Corpus Christi has lost the opening round game of the Flint Hills Resources Islander Invitational. 

The Islanders jumped out to a 13-6 run after Demond Watt converted a layup with 13:33 to go, but the Eagles used a 9-4 run to cut the lead to two with 10:11 to go in the first.  Georgia Southern would eventually tie the game at 20 with 7:28 before taking the lead for good on a layup by Trumaine Pearson with 5:22 to go. 

A&M-Corpus Christi tied the game 37 with eight seconds to go before the break on a layup and free throw, but Pearson nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Eagles a 40-37 lead at the break. 

Both teams would exchange baskets until Georgia Southern used a 6-0 run to lead 56-46 with 13:29 to go.  The Eagles would keep a double-digit lead until Horace Bond hit a 15-foot jumper with 30 seconds to play to cut the lead to nine.  Neither team would score again. 

Chris Daniels added 13 points and had his consecutive block shots streak at nine games.  As a team, the Islanders dished out a season-high 16 assists led by Tim Green’s career-high seven. 

Louis Graham led the Eagles with 19 points, while Willie Powers added 11.  Matthew Fields pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, while the Eagles picked up 10 steals on the night. 

The Islanders will take on Eastern Michigan in the consolation game at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night, while Rhode Island and Georgia Southern will play for the championship game at 5 p.m.   

Minnesota 77, Nicholls State 32

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Minnesota capitalized on Nicholls' sloppy play on Friday afternoon in the Thomas and Mack Center by defeating the Colonels 77-32 in the opening game of the Duel in the Desert Tournament.

Nicholls committed a season worst 30 turnovers that led to 30 Minnesota points as the Golden Gophers never trailed in the contest. For the contest, Nicholls shot 25 percent (11-of-44) from field goal range, 19 percent (4-of-21) from three-point land, and 50 percent (6-of-12) from the free throw line, while the Golden Gophers finished the game with a 53.7 percent (29-of-54) mark from the floor, 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from three-point range, and 75 percent (12-of-16) from the charity strip.

Minnesota had four players in double figures with Dan Coleman leading the way with 14, while Lawrence McKenzie and Blake Hoffarber added 13 each. Lawrence Westbrook chipped in 11 of his own to round out the Golden Gophers double-figure scorers. Nicholls only had one player to cross the decade line in the loss with Michael Czepil doing the honor with 10.

"We didn't play our game tonight," said head coach J.P. Piper. "Minnesota has a good team, and they are well coached. We are going to have to move on quickly from this one."

The Colonels (4-9) shot themselves in the foot throughout the first half as they committed a season worst 14 first half turnovers, which included four miscues on their first five offensive possessions. Czepil got the Colonels on the board at the 15:54 mark, and although junior Ryan Bathie added a pair of free throws at the 14:30 point to make it a four point, 9-5, deficit, Nicholls failed to score for the next five minutes. During that five minutes, Minnesota (9-1) went on a 16-0 run on their way to padding their lead. The Golden Gophers were on a tear in the first period as they headed to the break shooting 60.7 percent (17-of-28) from the floor, while the Colonels only mustered a 20.8 percent (5-of-24) mark.

The second half was not that kind to the Colonels either with Nicholls only tallying 17 points, while Minnesota put 36 on the scoreboard. For the second half, Nicholls shot 30 percent (6-of-20) from the floor and 12.5 percent (1-of-8) from behind the arc, while Minnesota shot 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from field goal range and 40 percent (4-of-10) from three-point territory.

The 32-points scored was the second lowest point total for Nicholls in a game since going Division I in the 1980-81 season. The lowest point total ever in a Nicholls contest was 24 in a loss at LSU under then head coach Ricky Blanton in the 2002-03 season.

Nicholls will be back in action tomorrow against the UNLV Runnin' Rebels in the Duel in the Desert Tournament at 9:30 p.m. local time. Pre-game will air at 9:15 p.m. on 105.9 FM KBZE and on 640 AM KTIB. The game can also be heard on the internet at www.kbze.com, and be followed live statistically on www.geauxcolonels.com.

http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=90089&SPID=10825&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=1356752

[KFDM COOP]

NS took it on the chin.

[RonBurgundy68]

Great job on the undefeated run Kats! We still got the rest of the season to go, and if we keep playing like we are right now, SLC champs!

[Guest coachacola]

San Diego State is a good team and they were favored by a few points so there's no shame in losing to them.  There's going to be a lot of good SLC games this year with UTA, SFA, and SHSU as the early favorites, followed by SELA, McNeese and Lamar.

[weslinder]

NS took it on the chin.

Sounds to me like they had a little too much of Vegas.

[UNLV]

San Diego State is a good team and they were favored by a few points so there's no shame in losing to them.  There's going to be a lot of good SLC games this year with UTA, SFA, and SHSU as the early favorites, followed by SELA, McNeese and Lamar.

UTA and SFA SOS is +250. SHSU is the only one earning respect on the floor.

LU SOS in 60.

[Guest mffl]

What is SOS, Strength of Schedule?