03.10.06 - Alex Kock, the Mid-Central Conference Co-Player of the Year, is also making a name for himself at the national level, backing up last night’s 30-point effort with 35 more in Huntington University’s 104-93 win over Evangel University (24-11) in second round action at the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Tournament. 

 

The Foresters (30-5) sprinted out to a 17-4 lead behind the hot-shooting Kock, who scored 10 of his 26 first half points in a little over two minutes of play in the early going.  Following a Kyle Benge trey at the 10:25 mark, Kock again caught fire and scored HU’s next 14 points to give the Foresters a 42-23 advantage with just over five minutes left in the period.  Benge, who went 4-4 from the field in the half, knocked down his second 3-pointer to give HU its largest lead of the game at 49-27 at the 3:12 mark.  Evangel’s Joel Brown scored on a short running jumper with two seconds left to cut the Foresters’ lead to 54-35 at intermission.

 

In the second half, the Foresters seemed content to just trade baskets with Evangel and were still up 19 when Steve Snider hit a lay-up in the paint to put HU up 83-64 with nine minutes to play.  But the Crusaders weren’t going to go away without a fight.  A thunderous Tim Dial dunk sparked a 6-0 Evangel run and the fight was on.  The Crusaders continued to chip away at the deficit and finally got back within single digits at 91-83 on a three-ball from Ryan Luethy at the 3:56 mark.  Two Sheckler field goals and two Kock charity tosses pushed HU’s lead back to 12 at 97-85 with 2:27 to go, but a couple turnovers gave Evangel a glimmer of hope.  Two Shane Nicholson free throws again pulled the Crusaders back within eight at 99-91 with 1:14 to go and then they sent Kock to the foul line with 49 seconds left.  Kock missed both, but HU’s Sheckler came up with the huge offensive rebound, forcing the Crusaders to foul again.  Sheckler hit one to make it 100-91 with 45 ticks left and then Ganton, who made his living at the line, finally sealed the victory with four consecutive free throws in the waning seconds.

 

Joining Kock in double figures for HU was Ganton, who scored 21 including 15-16 from the line, Sheckler with 18 points, and Benge with 13 off the bench.  Dial led the Crusaders with 25 points with 18 coming in the second stanza.  Nicholson finished with 18, Luethy had 17, Todd Simon added 11 and Austin Brewer chipped in 10 off the bench.  The Foresters sizzled the nets shooting 62.5% from the field in both halves, but the NAIA Division II leaders in free throw percentage, won the game from the line hitting 28 of their 38 attempts for 74% as compared to 62% (13-21) for Evangel.  With the win, the Foresters advance to the Elite Eight and will face the winner of the #7 Warner Pacific (OR)/ #10 Morningside (IA) game in the 8:00 p.m. (CST) game tomorrow evening.

 

For a complete box score, see Box Score.