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12.21.06 -
It was the Foresters’
second battle of the week against a NAIA Division II ranked opponent,
and again, HU was up to the challenge. This time the top-ranked
Foresters (14-2) downed the 17th-ranked Crusaders of
Evangel University (6-5) 84-74.
The game was a
rematch of last year’s NAIA National Tournament Sweet Sixteen game
between these two teams, a game in which the Foresters outlasted
Evangel 104-93. This time defense played more of a factor in the
contest, especially for HU, who held the Crusaders to 39.5% shooting
in the second half to pull away for the victory.
The first half was marked by six lead changes and two ties with
Evangel’s largest lead coming at 11-6 five minutes into the game and
the Foresters’ at 26-19 at the 6:26 mark of the half. The Crusaders
rallied to tie the score at 33, but HU got a free throw from Luke
Smith and another from Jared Yoder in the final minute to take a 35-33
lead to the break.
Evangel scored the first basket of the second half to knot the score
for the third time, but it was as close as the Crusaders would come to
the lead the rest of the way. An ensuing 12-3 Forester run put HU up
47-38 with 16:16 to go, but Evangel’s 3-point shooting kept them
within striking distance. A Jackson Capel trey at the 6:09 mark cut
the Foresters’ lead to 64-59, but Kyle Ganton and Alex Kock hit
consecutive jumpers to push it back to a nine point margin with just
over five minutes to play. HU then scored 12 of their final 14 points
at the free throw line to keep the Crusaders at bay.
Ganton, who
went 12-14 at the stripe, took game-high honors with 28 points and
nine rebounds. Kock added his characteristic double-double with 25
points and 10 boards and Yoder finished with 11 points and seven
assists. Evangel had a balanced scoring attack with five players in
double figures. Shane Nicholson was at the top of the list with 17
points followed by Capel with 14.
Box Score
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