KWC recovers to upend Indy - Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

Box Score

Three nights after being thumped by 29 points at rival Southern Indiana, the Panthers of Kentucky Wesleyan College got back on track Thursday evening.

Kwan Waller, Cardell McFarland and Anthony Young all played pivotal roles as No. 17 KWC turned back Indianapolis 87-79 before a sparse but spirited gathering at the Sportscenter.

“In a lot of ways, this was the most important game of the year for us,” said McFarland, who scored a game-high 25 points. “Coming off a disappointing loss, we had to get things turned back in the right direction.

“We came out with a lot of focus and determination. Indianapolis is a tough basketball team, and we knew we would have to play hard and play well to win this game. Fortunately, we got the job done.”

Nothing about it was easy for Wesleyan, which saw a 13-point lead dwindle to five when stellar guard Darius Adams hit a pair of free throws at 2:52 to pull the Greyhounds within 79-74.

The Panthers, however, scored seven of the next eight points over the next 21⁄2 minutes to finally put Indy away.

“We knew coming in they were a very good, very well-coached basketball team,” KWC head coach Todd Lee said. “They beat Tennessee by 15 in the preseason, so that tells you right there they can play.

“I thought one of the differences in the game was Kwan Waller's defensive work against Adams, who is one of the best guards in our league. He had to chase him all night, and he still had great offensive numbers himself. Kwan played very well for us.”

Waller limited Adams to just one 3-point basket in six attempts, and also produced 18 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals for Wesleyan, which improved to 13-3 overall and 6-3 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

KWC's leading scorer, Anthony Young, had another solid outing, finishing with 23 points and nine rebounds. Young, who came into the game hitting 90 percent from the foul stripe, made all 12 of his free throws.

Lee was pleased with his team's bounce-back from the 93-64 setback at USI.

“I knew we would come back home and play hard, and I thought we would play well,” said Lee, whose club plays host to Northern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon. “We're in a very important stretch right now where we play four league games in a row at home, and we need to take care of business at home.”

Wesleyan shot 52 percent from the floor (27-of-52) and sank 27-of-36 free-throw attempts for 75 percent. The Panthers edged the Greyhounds on the boards (32-31) and turned the ball over only eight times.

Indianapolis (13-4, 6-3) shot 47 percent from the field (27-of-58), including 41 percent from 3-point range (9-of-22). The Greyhounds made 16-of-20 foul shots (80 percent) and committed 13 turnovers.

Indy was led by Adams, a blazing-fast 6-foot senior who nearly had a triple-double — finishing with 24 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. Adrian Moss, who was 4-of-5 from 3-point range, had 24 points and all four of the Greyhounds' steals.

Indy freshman center Joe Daniels, averaging less than a point per game, came off the bench to produce 10 points and eight rebounds after front line starters Wilbur O'Neal and DeWann Squires fell victim to foul trouble in the game's opening minutes.

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