Duo carries KWC to win - Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

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It had been many years since No. 4 Kentucky Wesleyan College had as dominating an offensive performance by two players in a half as it got Thursday night against Drury.

Cardell McFarland and Anthony Young each scored 20 points in the first half of a 92-72 win over a good Drury ballclub at the Sportscenter.

McFarland made five straight 3-pointers on the way to a game-high 27 points. He was also good on 7-of-12 from the floor and 8-of-10 free throws.

“I was just open and I didn't rush any shots,” McFarland said. “The coaches have been telling me to arch the ball more. I relaxed and that's what I did.”

Anthony Young did a lot of tough work inside for 22 points and 10 rebounds. He worked the baseline for a couple of baskets while double teamed, and he also kept after a putback try three times to get it to go down as KWC built a 56-38 halftime advantage in front of 2,472 fans.

KWC is 11-0 and 3-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

“We called some stuff to get Anthony the ball inside,” KWC coach Todd Lee said. “We had an advantage inside with Anthony, Dom (Dominique Dawson) and Marseilles (Stewart).”

Stewart was very efficient in scoring his 12 points, taking six shots and making both free

throws he took on the way to 12 points in 15 minutes.

Dawson scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds, blocked two shots and altered several others in 29 minutes of work. He was 7-of-9 on mostly close-range baskets.

“Marseilles took a couple of charges, and Dominique was changing shots in there,” Lee said.

While KWC made 50 percent from the field (31-of-62), 3-point range (9-of-18) and the free-throw line (21-of-25), it was the defensive effort that also left a huge impression with Lee and the players.

The Panthers had to slow down guards Alex Hall, Brandon Lockhart and Justin Jones. Hall got increased attention because of his ability to get rolling from 3-point range.

Hall finished with six points and only took seven shots. KWC made it tough enough that Hall only had put up four shots in the first 30 minutes of game time.

“Kentucky Wesleyan did a good job on Alex, but he helped them by not moving enough,” Drury coach Steve Hesser said. “They're good on defense, and they got us taking shots we shouldn't have been taking.”

Drury (8-4, 2-2) made 24-of-57 from the floor for 42 percent and was 9-of-25 on 3-pointers for 36 percent.

McFarland, for all his offensive contributions, also had major responsibilities on defense as one of the Panthers in the rotation guarding Hall. Kreig Oxley and Luke Shelley were also among the perimeter players chasing Hall for KWC.

McFarland opened the game on Hall.

“We didn't want to let him get going early,” McFarland said. “If we let a shooter get rolling, it could be a long night for us.”

Drury experienced that formula in reverse, and that delivery was made by McFarland.

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