Crusaders withstand Austin College Run; Collect Big SCAC Win Friday
IRVING, Texas – It was a game of runs for the University of Dallas men's basketball team on Friday night, and the home team enjoyed the final 18-7 spurt in critical 86-69 victory over Austin College. Dallas (7-12, 2-8 SCAC) moves into a tie for 7th with Austin College (6-15, 2-8 SCAC) and four games remaining this season. The top 6 teams qualify for Georgetown, Texas, later this month, but the Crusaders now sit a game behind Centenary College (Sunday's opponent) for the final seed.
The Crusaders utilized two big outbursts in the first stanza to build a 44-33 halftime advantage. However, Austin College fought back and even gained its lone lead of the contest a little over midway in the final frame. The home squad dug deep and rattled another big run to secure its second straight conference win at the Maher Center.
STAT NOTABLES
(Individual Notes)
- Darrius Colvin (Waco, Texas) matched a career-high 25 points and led the team with nine rebounds. It was the second time this season to score 25 since his previous mark exactly two weeks ago against Schreiner University. Colvin blocked a shot near the end of regulation to set a new personal high of 14 on the season.
- Lorenzo Gonzalez (San Antonio, Texas) followed with 17 points that included 8-for-8 at the free throw line. Gonzalez has enjoyed the charity, making his previous 36 straight shots in last five games.
- Gonzalez dished six assists and eclipsed 300 career assists by one. He is the 7th player in the program to reach at least 300 assists. The guard also swiped three steals.
- Prince Giadolor (Rockwall, Texas) chimed in with 16 points and four assists.
- Rory MacCallum (Golden, Colo.) delivered 11 points off the bench. He also had five boards and two blocks.
- Michael Sarrat (Colleyville, Texas) rounded out the quintet of double-digit scorers with 10.
- Austin College was led by Josh Dickerman with 18 points. That included 11 second half points. Austin Wells and Justin Wade each chipped in 10 points.
(Team Notes)
- Dallas sank a season-best in conference 31 field goals. That 49.2 percent outdid AC's 42.4 percent.
- The Crusaders were outdone by six three-pointers, but hit 23-of-34 compared to 6-of-13 at the line by their opposition. It is the 5th game UD has made 20 or more free throws.
- The 'Roos earned a 20-18 assists edge. Dallas has passed 18 assists in most recent pair of games. It was the home team that edged on the boards 41-38.
- Five blocks for UD matched amount of games to post at least that many.
- Dallas forced the 'Roos into 19 turnovers and turned those into 28 points. This included 18 in the 1st. The Crusaders only turned it over 12 times.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Darrius Colvin helped spark the Crusaders into a fast 7-0 advantage in just over two minutes. Gonzalez made the first field goal from long range, and then Colvin achieved the next four points. The latest came from the sophomore swiping a steal and breaking away for an easy make. He had a few more fastbreak opportunities as consecutive Gonzalez steals helped set Colvin up to make it 15-7. After a shot clock violation by the 'Roos, Giadolor went back-to-back from the field and lifted Dallas to a 19-7 lead with 13:53 remaining in the first.
Despite holding a lead as great as 14 (26-12), the 'Roos clawed back with enough to cut the margin in half in about a minute. With 4:35 in the frame, the guests pulled within a pair (28-26) on a Jeremy Swisher layup that was assisted by Wade.
Dallas countered with the next four from Gonzalez and Sarrat to make it a two possession game. After a jump shot by Stephen Igbinosa, Dallas got two from MacCallum and Colvin each. Colvin sank 8-of-9 through the first 20 minutes and had a huge three-point play with 45 seconds. His successful layup made it a double-digit lead again (41-31) before the extra free throw. Prior to that, Giadolor also connected on his own old fashioned three-point play to make it six unanswered after AC's Wells trey had shrunk the score to five with a minute and a half. Giadolor scored the final field goal to secure UD's highest amount of points in the first half at home against a league opponent this season.
In the second half, the Crusaders kept about the same distance ahead for five minutes. Up 54-40, Austin College roared back with 11 straight points. Dickerman's trifecta capped the surge and brought the count to 54-52 and just under 13 minutes to play. UD's Matthew Richelsen (Medina, Minn.) spoiled the unanswered streak. A few possessions later, Swisher drained a three to make it a one-point game and then Wade hit the go-ahead jumper (58-57) at 10:12.
Dallas responded with the only other lead change of the night with a layup by Tom Kaiser (Nashville, Tenn.). Sarrat added a jumper, then Kaiser and Gonzalez added field goals to continue the eventual 9-0 run that lifted the Navy and White to a 66-58 scoreboard edge. MacCallum added the final point with seven minutes by splitting at the line.
All the momentum returned to the home bench, as UD responded to the next four points by the 'Roos with 11 unanswered. Dallas led by as many as 20 (83-63) with around a minute and a half and had scored 18-of-23 points since that slight deficit.
UP NEXT
Dallas is back on the court Sunday versus Centenary at around 2 p.m.