January 25, 2005
[Gamenotes] [Final Stats] [Pictures]
 |
Junior Sheldon Pace had a career night notching new career highs scoring 19 points and knocking down three 3-point field goals in the 75-69 victory over Truman St. |
BOLIVAR, MO. ... After spending the entire second half chipping away at a Southwest Baptist (9-9/3-6 MIAA) 19-point lead, TSU had a chance to tie the game with 12 seconds remaining until TSU (4-13/0-8 MIAA) forward Grant Agbo threw an errant pass that was intercepted by Martez Young and secured the another Bearcat MIAA victory, 75-69.
SBU found themselves in familiar territory starting the game off with 15-3 run in the first five minutes of action and almost all of this was without the services of leading scorer Deon Davis, who was sidelined only after playing the first minute of play due to an injury.
The Bearcats wanted to challenge Truman State's interior defense early by looking to seniors Chris Schulze and David Martin in the post, who combined for 14 points in the first half. Sheldon Pace was on fire as well in the first half shooting 4-5 from the field including 2-3 from beyond the arc. SBU as a team shot 58% from the field, 18-31 and 50% from the three-point line in the first half, shooting 6-12.
Southwest Baptist never trailed and was in front by 19 points with just a little over a minute remaining in the first half and led by 14 going into halftime. SBU could not put TSU away in the second half as the Bulldogs chipped away SBU's lead all the way down to one-point.
Derek Lindsey and Chip Sodemann scored a combined 20 out of 38 Bulldog second half points as Truman State continued to chip away at the lead until TSU actually found themselves only down by one point with 34 seconds remaining off of a Sodemann three-pointer.
Coming into tonight's game, SBU was in last place in the MIAA for free throw shooting on the year (.649). Ironically, free throw shooting made the game exciting and saved the Bearcats at the end with SBU shooting a combined 5-8 from the charity stripe after the lead was cut to one.
Also coming into tonight's game, Southwest Baptist is leading the nation for three-pointers made, averaging over 12 treys a game. After knocking down six treys in the first half, SBU was shut out in the second half, shooting 0-3. This was the fewest amount of three-pointers attempted in a game for the Bearcats all season with 15.
This season, Southwest Baptist has now broken the school's single season three-pointers made and attempted records that were last broken back in the 1999-2000 season.
For the Bulldogs, Derek Lindsey scored a season high 20 points and Chip Sodemann also scored a game high 20 points. Leading scorer Austin Kirby was held to only nine points off of 2-10 shooting from the field and 1-6 from beyond the arc.
Now the Bearcats start the second half of their conference schedule and have a date at Maryville, MO on Saturday, January 29 at 3:30 pm to play a rematch with Northwest Missouri State. Earlier on the season, SBU upset the defending MIAA champions at home in a 88-81 overtime thriller.
