3's Key TLU's Win on Friday over Men's Basketball
(Photo Courtesy of anthonymazur@amnewsnet.com)
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas men's basketball team fell 68-52 on Friday night to Texas Lutheran University at the Maher Center. The Bulldogs outshot Dallas (47.7% - 39.6%) in the game, which included 50 percent (11-22) from three-point territory.
The Crusaders started the contest well by jumping out to a nine-point advantage (11-2) through the first five minutes of play. However, TLU cut the deficit late in first half to eventually cling to a 27-26 edge at the break. From there, the Bulldogs received hot shooting knocking down 52.4 percent (11-21) from the field and 61.5 percent (8-13) from deep to key a 41-26 frame.
Dallas fell to 9-7 on the season and are now even in conference play at 3-3. The Bulldogs improved to 6-10 overall and 2-3 in conference. This is the first time on the year that UD has dropped consecutive Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) matchups.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After allowing the first basket 40 seconds into play, the Crusaders countered with the next 11 points to post their largest lead of the game. Darrius Colvin (Waco, Texas) sank a three-pointer to ignite the run and then followed with a dunk on an alley-oop from Spencer Levi (St. Louis, Mo.). After layups by Emmanuel Calton (Keller, Texas) and John Russell (Bossier City, La.), Colvin capped the early surge less than five minutes completed on a jumper.
The Bulldogs responded with eight of the next 10 points to narrow the margin to three over the next few minutes. After a trey by Matt Perry cut it to 19-18 with 7:05, UD's Michael Wambsganss (Denver, Colo.) answered with his own to stretch the home team's edge back to six. Nathan Josephs and Shawn Hamilton drained the next TLU shots for a three to knot the game at 24. The Bulldogs closed the final 4:34 minutes on a 9-2 run. Both sides went scoreless the last 1:46 of the stanza.
Texas Lutheran continued its hot three-point shooting into the second half, with its first seven made field goals coming from long range. The huge barrage of triples lifted the guests to a double-digit lead through the first six minutes. Matt Perry notched a trio of them, including the final one that capped the string at 11:45 left. Jacob Kouremetis had two of them.
Dallas had reduced the gap to seven (45-38) after a jumper by Joshua Nunn (St. Louis, Mo.) with 12 minutes remaining. However Perry's seventh trey lifted the visitor's lead back up to 10, and then with 9:08 Alex Cage put in the team's eighth trey of the frame to make it a 55-40 game.
The Crusaders responded immediately on a steal by Levi that led to Wambsganss putting in a three. The team leader in made three-point field goals had two overall, but UD was limited 3-for-15 in the game from long distance.
Levi got the crowd back into the game with about five left by slamming a dunk on an alley-oop from Colvin after Nunn had come away with the steal on the other end. That sequence made it 59-46 and Colvin continued to slice away at the gap with a pair of free throws that had followed a TLU miss.
Unfortunately the Bulldogs did not miss much tonight and cruised the rest of the way.
STAT NOTABLES
Levi led Dallas with 14 points and 10 rebounds for his 10th double-double on the year and third in a row on the homestand. Colvin finished with 11 points, while Russell tossed in nine. Wambsganss was able to add eight.
UD was edged on the boards 31-24, while coming up with a 9-7 advantage in steals. Calton led the team with three of them. Dallas outscored the Bulldogs 34-16 for points in the paint, but the guests held a 27-12 edge in bench points.
Josephs and Perry led the Bulldogs in scoring with 18 and 15 points for double figure performances. Perry was 5-of-6 from downtown, while Josephs shot perfect at the charity stripe with 10 attempts. Alex Cage led the team on the glass with nine rebounds, and tied Josephs with four assists for game-highs.
TIP-INS
Levi is the first player to notch 10 double-doubles in a season according to available information dating to 2004. Only Tom Kaiser (2015-16) and Travis Ekmark (2009-10) come closer with eight overall.
Dallas has swiped nine steals or more in three of the last four outings.
The Crusaders garnered season-lows in rebounds and points scored.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Final | #UDCrusaders Men's Basketball drops Friday's #SCACmbb contest to Texas Lutheran. Levi notched 10th double-double of campaign! | @UDallasMBB #GoUD #UDMBB #d3h pic.twitter.com/Rhw4gjT31F
— UDallas Athletics (@UDallasSports) January 20, 2018
UP NEXT
Dallas looks to bounce back on Sunday versus Southwestern University. First tip is scheduled for 12 p.m.