Crusaders erupt in 2nd Half to Charge by Colorado College
IRVING, Texas – The University of Dallas men's basketball team erased an early 10-point deficit and stymied Colorado College with a 38-15 second half to win 70-49 at the Maher Center on Friday night.
The Crusaders (7-10, 5-4 SCAC) produced their largest victory of the season, thanks to holding Colorado College (6-14, 2-9 SCAC) to 6-of-32 (18.8 percent) shooting from the field in the second half.
This was the fewest points surrendered in a half this season for UD. The Crusaders also improved on their end going 41.4 percent (12-29) to 50 percent (13-26). Colorado College started strong from the field in shooting with a 48.4 percent mark in the opening stanza.
Nine points ignited the visitor's side to carry an early advantage at the start of the game. Besides a Joshua Nunn (St. Louis, Mo.) three-pointer at 16:21, the Tigers held the momentum through the first five minutes with a 10-point lead.
UD relied on three-pointers to cut into the deficit with six of its 12 overall in the first frame. With the score just beneath the double-digit plateau the majority of the opening half, the Crusaders began turning the momentum when Dustin Mathis (Fort Worth, Texas) hit a triple and Rashid Coombs (Houston, Texas) added a layup to narrow the margin to 26-23 with under five left in the half. The Crusaders fell back to as many as six a couple minutes later, but a three by Nunn with 30 seconds closed the halftime score at 34-32.
Dallas set the opposite tone at the beginning of last 20 minutes, starting with a huge block by John Russell (Bossier City, La.). A quartet of three-pointers by Mathis (2), Michael Wambsganss (Denver, Colo.), and Logan Fruhwirth (Waynesville, Ohio) accelerated the gap on the scoreboard to 46-37 thanks eight unanswered by the hosts. Wambsganss had a nice three at 12:43 to go in regulation to give the Crusaders its first double-digit advantage of the game at 12.
Coombs came off the bench for a personal-best nine points, and had six of them in as part of another 8-0 run to make it an 18-point lead (61-43). Each of the freshman's points in that span were huge dunks that electrified the home fans. A final trey for the Crusaders was made by Uniikye Washington (Arlington, Texas) to stretch the lead to its largest of the season at 23. Dallas would win by that margin, which was the largest for the Crusaders over an opponent this season.
The Crusaders made 12-of-29 from long range compared to CC's 3-for-23 at three. Neither team gathered many free throw chances, as the Crusaders attempted a season-low 10. The team hammered the boards with a 46-29 advantage for its second highest total in a game. Their 16 offensive boards equal the total amount of defensive boards for the Tigers.
Wambsganss produced another double-digit scoring game with 17 points to lead Dallas. Nunn posted 12 points overall with 10 coming in the first half. Mathis gave the Crusaders a trio of starting guards to eclipse double figures in scoring with 11. The same trio mentioned here also each connected on three trifectas. Russell hauled down a game-high nine boards and was one shy of his highest this season against Austin College (12/19/19). Mathis, Nunn, and Wambsganss combined for 16 boards. Nunn dished a game-high four assists, while Mathis and Cameran Hyde (Missouri City, Texas) contributed three dimes apiece. The Crusaders held a 16-13 edge in assists.
The teams were even on points in the paint (26-26) and bench points (16-16).
CooXooEii Black paced the Tigers' offense with 23 points (11-20 FG) and seven rebounds. 17 of those were accounted towards Black for half of CC's scoring chances with half of its 34 first half.
Edmund Pendleton was the other visiting player in double-digits with 10. The Tigers took advantage of 17 UD turnovers, while only making 11 of their own. The Tigers held a 16-11 edge on points on turnovers. The second chance points favored Colorado College 12-5
Dallas has won four straight matchups at the Maher Center after dropping the first three on the season. The Crusaders remain unbeaten on the season when shooting 45 percent or better on the floor. UD combined for 27 made three-pointers in the season series over the Tigers, which included setting the program record at 15 at Colorado Springs.
SOCIAL MEDIA
"Turn the game on its head right there ��" - complete postgame interview on UD Athletics Facebook ��https://t.co/Wk0DBIeZXM#WeAreUD #SCACmbb #d3hoops pic.twitter.com/D3qdwoHGTL
— UDallas Athletics (@UDallasSports) January 26, 2019
UP NEXT
Dallas faces Johnson & Wales University at 3 p.m. on Saturday.