Young, Panthers turn back Miners - Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

Box Score

Kentucky Wesleyan College got a much-needed victory on Thursday night at the Sportscenter, but it didn't come easy.

The No. 7 Panthers got everything they wanted and then some from a hot-shooting Missouri S&T team before subduing the Miners 87-78 in front of an estimated 2,500 fans.

"I thought we held our composure down the strength and kept S&T at arm's length," said KWC head coach Todd Lee, whose club was coming off a 74-64 loss at Saint Joseph's on Tuesday. "We ran our offense better, we rebounded better, and we did a pretty good job of sticking to our (high-low) game plan, offensively.

"We got 13 offensive rebounds, which is a significant improvement over our recent games. We took good shots for the most part, and we were able to stay in control of the game."

Lee moved junior Cardell McFarland back to point guard and inserted small forward Marseilles Stewart into the starting lineup in place of Brandon Johnson, the recent starter at the point.

"Cardell did a good job of getting everybody involved," Lee said. "He ran the offense very well."

Wesleyan (9-2, 2-2 Great Lakes Valley Conference) won despite an exceptional shooting performance by the Miners, who drilled 28-of-49 floor shots (60 percent), made 6-of-13 shots from 3-point range (46 percent) and blistered the nets with 94 percent free-throw shooting (16-of-17).

KWC overcame that, in large part, by going to the free-throw line 46 times and cashing in on 37 occasions (80 percent).

"We had a size advantage inside, and we wanted to pound the ball inside to Anthony (Young) and Jay Ivey," Lee said. "We did a good job of getting the ball to them, and they did a good job of scoring or getting fouled once they got it."

Indeed, Young finished with a game-high 33 points, going 8-of-13 from the field and 15-of-16 from the foul stripe. Ivey did not take a shot, but made 6-of-8 free throws. The pair also combined for 13 rebounds.

All told, Missouri S&T was whistled for 36 fouls; Wesleyan 15.

Even so, the hustling Miners (6-6, 2-3) simply wouldn't go away.

Twice, KWC built its lead to 13 points, and both times the Miners shot themselves back into contention.

"They are a much-improved team over last season," Lee said of Missouri S&T. "They're going to be a tough team in this league to beat at their place."

In addition to Young's big performance, the Panthers got 17 points and six rebounds from Kwan Waller, and McFarland added 12 points and a team-best three assists.

Missouri S&T was led by Tommy Pelczynski, who scored 17 points. Mike Malat came off the bench to score 13, and Bryce Foster and Maurice Ginter -- a 6-foot-4, 270-pound former University of Kentucky football lineman -- each scored 11.

"We continued to struggle defensively," Lee said. "We talked about it at halftime. They had shot 57 percent in the first half, and then they come out and shoot even better (63 percent) in the second half.

"We've got to find an identity defensively -- we don't have that right now."

KWC returns to the Sportscenter hardwood at 3:15 p.m. Saturday, when it hosts Drury.

Print Friendly Version