Shorthanded KWC drops Drury - Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

Box Score

Kentucky Wesleyan College stepped up in every way against Drury without its top two scorers and leading rebounder on Saturday.

No. 7 KWC got more than ample production to cover the absences of Cardell McFarland and Anthony Young, and Wesleyan prevailed 77-69 in front of an appreciative and supportive 2,000 fans at the Sportscenter.

Marseilles Stewart and Jay Ivey both moved into the starting lineup. Stewart was starting his second straight game and responded with a game-high 22 points and a lot of enthusiasm. Ivey, a former Owensboro Catholic High School standout, came through with a career-high 17 points and 11 rebounds.

"We outrebounded them 43-25, had 15 offensive rebounds, and Jay had nine of those," KWC coach Todd Lee said. "That was a big-time effort from him."

Wesleyan's Chris Williams notched another double-double with 10 points and 15 rebounds, which also approached a career high on the glass.

"We were all crashing the boards," Williams said. "Me, Jay and (Marseilles) were all making a stir in there."

KWC outscored Drury 20-5 on second-chance points. Wesleyan made 26-of-56 from the floor for 46 percent and 18-of-22 from the free-throw line for 81.8 percent. Drury hit 26-of-60 from the floor and 10-of-11 free throws.

Kwan Waller also had a good scoring day in the backcourt for KWC (10-2, 3-2 Great Lakes Valley Conference) with 15 points.

McFarland and Young were suspended for the game because of "conduct detrimental to the team" according to Lee.

"It was conduct that happened both during and after the game Thursday night," Lee said of KWC's 87-78 win over Missouri S&T. "They were thinking of themselves, and they made a mistake. I didn't feel like they were representing the program the way it needed to be represented."

Young was at the Drury game, on the floor with the team during pregame and halftime warmups. McFarland went home to Evansville to see his family.

"I talked to him last night and told him if that's what he felt he needed to do, then go home and see your family," Lee said of McFarland. "Anthony is from (Indianapolis) and he wanted to stick around and be out there with the guys."

Lee said he would meet with both players this week before determining whether either or both suspensions would go past a single game.

"That's to be determined," Lee said.

What wasn't in doubt was KWC's desire.

Lee told the team of the suspensions on Friday night.

"I think it was human nature of the guys digging deep, each one knowing what they had to do," Lee said.

Wesleyan roared out to an 18-4 start, helped by two 3-pointers from Williams, which ignited the subdued crowd.

KWC went on a 10-3 run late in the half, this time with Stewart scoring eight straight points, to go on top 40-28 at the break.

A long 3 by Stewart put KWC up 55-44, then Drury (9-4, 2-3) got itself back in the game. Drury went on a 12-1 run, including two straight 3-pointers by Alex Hall (17 points), and capped the rally with Jajuan Maxwell's back-door cut to tie the game 56-all.

The lead changed hands on four straight possessions. KWC got back up 68-63, but a 3 by Hall cut the deficit to 68-66. After a Wesleyan basket, Hall hit another 3 to cut Drury's deficit to 70-69 with 1:42 to play.

Travis Owsley, also a starter in this game, made two free throws, giving KWC a 72-69 advantage. Drury's Dennon Mitchell missed a 3, and Williams rebounded and fell on the floor. KWC was awarded a timeout, then a technical foul was called on Drury coach Steve Hesser, who wanted a traveling call on Williams.

Stewart made the two technical free throws, and Owsley made one of two for a 75-69 advantage. Drury couldn't get another basket.

"We hadn't had a winning record in the league, and we had to win on our home court because we had already lost once here," Ivey said. "It was just a fun day in the Sportscenter on a Saturday afternoon."

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