Men's Basketball | 12/30/2008 5:15:49 PM
Box Score ST. GEORGE, Utah - The Western Oregon University men's basketball outscored Mesa State 9-2 in the final 2:42 of the game to capture a 75-72 victory Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Dixie State Tournament.
The win moved the Wolves record to 6-3 on the season and dropped the Mavericks to 5-6.
Down 70-66 with 2:42 remaining, Stanley Ratcliff missed a jumper but Travis Kuhns was there for the offensive rebound, put back and the foul. He then sank the free throw to pull the Wolves within one. On Mesa State's next possession Ryan Mathews drove the lane but Ratcliff was there for the block. Mike McLaughlin cleaned up the missed shot and was fouled sending him to the line where he made both free throws to give WOU a one point lead with 1:44 remaining. Mathews came back down and again tried a lay-up and again Ratcliff was there to reject his shot.
When the Wolves regained possession, McLaughlin found Sam Kelly cutting through the paint for the basket and a three point lead. The teams then traded possessions and this time Mathews hit the lay-up to bring the Mavericks within one point at 73-72 with 0:08 remaining. Western Oregon found Kuhns on the proceeding inbounds pass and he made both free throws to give WOU the 75-72 victory.
"This was a very good composure game for our team," said head coach Craig Stanger. "We could have panicked but we stuck together and things went our way."
Kuhns led the Wolves with 20 points followed by McLaughlin with 15, Blair Wheadon with 11 and Ratcliff with 10. Ratcliff led the team in rebounds with seven but WOU lost the rebounding battle 41 to 30. This is the second straight night Western Oregon has lost the battle of the boards after outrebounding its opponents each of the first seven games.
The Wolves were able to record a 15-to-12, assist-to-turnover ratio in the game while holding the Mavericks to just an 11-to-20 ratio. Western Oregon's perimeter defense also excelled as it limited Mesa State to just 1-of-11 from behind the arc. WOU got to the free throw line 22 times in the game and converted on 16 of those attempts while MSC was just 13-of-16 from the line.
"We just fought hard and found a way to win," explained Stanger. "We received good production from everyone and it was great team effort."
WOU found itself down by as many as 13 points in the first half but it used a 18-5 run which stretched from 2:27 remaining in the first half to 14:57 remaining in the second half to take the lead at 48-45. Mesa State would then follow that with a 19-8 run of its own to take the 70-66 lead with 2:27 remaining.
"Mesa State is a physical, well-run and disciplined team," continued Stanger. "They run their sets well and grind it out. Being down eight to them can feel like being down 15 to most teams."
The Western Oregon men's basketball will now travel to Malibu, Calif., to face NCAA Division I opponent Saturday, Jan. 3, at 2:00 p.m.
