Henderson, NV — It was an thrilling afternoon and night on Day One of many Ball Dawgs Traditional on the Greenback Mortgage Middle in Henderson, Nevada. The lads’s area of the Ball Dawg Traditional options the Indiana State Sycamores, the New Mexico Lobos, the Pepperdine Waves, the Rice Owls, the Toledo Rockets and the UC Irvine Anteaters.
Sport One was between Indiana State and Rice. What appeared prefer it was going to be an in depth contest between the 2 groups rapidly modified, because the Sycamores discovered their stroke from past the arc and turned a 19-18 Rice lead on the 11:57 mark to an Indiana State 33-21 lead with 7:01 to go within the first half. The Owls had no reply for junior guard Masen Miller, who got here off the bench and hit 5 threes, serving to his workforce finish the half on a 37-16 run and find yourself leading to a 103-88 victory.
Rice couldn’t include sophomore Indiana State middle Robbie Avila both. Avila had 16 factors, 4 rebounds and 5 assists with one block and one steal on 6-11 taking pictures (2-5 from 3 and 2-4 from the free throw line) at halftime and would end the sport with 27 factors, eight rebounds, eight assists on 10-19 taking pictures (3-6 from 3 and 4-6 from the free throw line). Avila has continued his robust play from a season in the past, when he earned a spot on the Missouri Valley Convention’s All-Freshman workforce.
Rice did a greater job of rotating to the ball to forestall Indiana State from taking as many threes, nevertheless it didn’t appear to matter, as Miller’s sizzling taking pictures was handed onto his teammates – Indiana State hit 5-of-13 from distance within the second half and 16-of-34 for the sport. Rice did put up 54 factors within the second half and outrebounded the Sycamores 42-30 however Indiana State’s 48 factors within the second half had been an excessive amount of to beat. The Owls did shoot higher and extra usually from distance within the second half (7-16) however couldn’t cease the Sycamores’ sizzling taking pictures. Indiana State’s greatest lead was 23.
Sophomore guard Mekhi Mason and senior guard Travis Evee did what they may to maintain their workforce within the recreation, however Mason picked up his fourth private foul at 13:39 to go within the recreation, dealing a blow to the Owls’ offensive rhythm. Evee scored double-digits in each halves and would end with a workforce excessive 25 factors on 7-14 taking pictures, 2-5 from past the arc and ideal from the road (9-9) to go along with 4 rebounds and one steal, however he would find yourself fouling out of the sport. Freshman guard Camp Wagner solely bought seven minutes of taking part in time however made probably the most of them – scoring 11 factors, together with three three-pointers.
Avila was Indiana State’s main scorer, however 4 different gamers completed in double figures, together with two gamers from the bench – the aforementioned Miller and redshirt senior guard Xavier Bledson. Head coach Josch Schertz would empty the bench with 3:08 to go within the recreation and the Sycamores picked up their third win of the season, whereas the Owls misplaced their third in a row.
Each groups are again in motion tomorrow in Day Two of the Ball Dawgs Traditional. Indiana State will look to choose up one other victory versus Pepperdine, whereas Rice will look to snap their dropping streak in opposition to New Mexico.
Sport Two noticed the Pepperdine Waves tackle the UC Irvine Anteaters in what was largely a back-and-forth affair. Neither workforce gave one another a lot floor till the Anteaters began to tug away throughout the latter a part of the second half, successful 76-60. UC Irvine’s largest lead was 20, whereas Pepperdine’s was three.
UC Irvine’s main scorer didn’t come from the beginning unit, however reasonably the bench. Freshman guard Derin Saran poured in 16 factors on 7-of-9 taking pictures with just one three-pointer made to pair together with his eight rebounds and two assists. Saran’s eight rebounds additionally led the workforce. Senior guard Andre Henry helped out with 10 factors, 5 rebounds and one help, however had eight of his 10 factors within the first half.
The Anteaters solely had two gamers end in double-digits, utilizing an egalitarian method on offense and letting the photographs come to them. They had been ready to take action attributable to their dominance on the boards, outrebounding the Waves 43-29 (14 offensive). UC Irvine additionally greater than doubled Pepperdine’s 3-point taking pictures, going 6-for-13 in comparison with Pepperdine’s 3-14. Each participant on UC Irvine made a minimum of one shot.
Junior guard/ahead Michael Ajayi was Pepperdine’s main scorer, but in addition their finest participant when he was on the ground. Ajayi pulled down 11 rebounds to document a double-double, by far probably the most of any Wave. No different participant had greater than 5.
Junior beginning guard Houston Mallette did a little bit little bit of the whole lot for the Waves, scoring 10 factors and tallying two steals, two assists and one rebound. Redshirt freshman guard Wire Stansberry additionally contributed 12 factors– 9 from the ground and three from the free-throw line.
UC Irvine will look so as to add to the win column in opposition to the Toledo Rockets in Day Two of the Ball Dawgs Traditional, whereas Pepperdine will attempt to begin a brand new successful streak after they tackle Indiana State.
Sport 3, the ultimate recreation of Day One, pitted the Toledo Rockets in opposition to the New Mexico Lobos, with the Lobos choosing up a 92-84 victory. New Mexico improved to 3-1, whereas Toledo (3-1) suffered their first lack of the season,. The primary half produced some fascinating stats – each on the particular person and workforce ranges:
- New Mexico shot 51.4% from the ground, however didn’t make a single three-pointer (0-3)
- The Lobos outrebounded the Rockets 22-12 – 7-2 on the offensive finish
- Toledo’s junior guard Ra’Heim Moss had extra made free throws (4) than area objectives (3)
Neither workforce had a lead bigger than 5 factors till New Mexico went on a 6-0 run to go up 42-32 at half. Within the second half the Rockets’ offense soared, scoring 52 factors, however New Mexico’s 46 factors had been sufficient to carry on for the win.
Freshman ahead JT Toppin was nearing a double-double at halftime with 16 factors and 6 rebounds. Toppin completed the sport with 27 factors and 11 rebounds and his presence was felt on each offense and on the boards.
In his second season with the Lobos, Jamal Mashburn Jr. (son of former NBA participant Jamal Mashburn) was a big a part of New Mexico’s offense, ending with 27 factors together with a well timed and-one with 2:46 remaining that helped the Lobos draw back for good.
Senior middle Nelly Junior Joseph was everywhere in the glass for New Mexico, gobbling up 10 rebounds – 4 of which had been offensive, a game-high.
For Toledo, three gamers stored the Rockets within the recreation. Junior ahead Andre Lorentsson got here off the bench and made an immediate influence, scoring 10 factors (3/3 from three) and grabbing two rebounds within the first half. Lorentsson added seven factors within the second half to conclude the sport with 17. Ra’Heim Morris adopted up his stable first half with a powerful second half, scoring 12 of his 22 factors to maintain the Rockets inside putting distance. Junior guard Dante Maddox was the catalyst for Toledo all evening, ending with a team-high 23 factors, scoring clutch bucket after clutch bucket to maintain the deficit small or retake the lead.
New Mexico performs Rice on Day 2 of the Ball Dawgs Traditional. Toledo will face UC Irvine.
This text was written by Mason McFee, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You may observe us on Fb, or on twitter.
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