Game Notes
Kentucky Wesleyan College gets a look at the future this afternoon.
The No. 5 Panthers host Cedarville today at the Sportscenter. Cedarville is in the provisional season of the membership process for NCAA Division II and will be joining KWC in the new Great Midwest Athletic Conference in 2013-14. Cedarville has been an NAIA program.
“They are in the region, it is a DII game and it counts for regional rankings,” KWC coach Todd Lee said. “It has nothing to do with conference affiliation, but next year we will try to play some teams from that league.KWC is 6-0 and had the past week off. Most of its practice focus has been on better defense and rebounding.
“We did some things, cleared up some things on both ends,” Lee said. “It takes about six to eight games to figure out what works well with the group, what individuals can do on a consistent basis. “I've got a feel now for what guys can do consistently at this level and what they can't do.”
The things Lee wants most improved are defense and getting on the glass.
“One stat you look at that is disappointing is we're tied with our opponents in offensive rebounding, and that's not good enough,” Lee said. “We've been able to score the ball, but we've got to get better defensively.”
There have been few problems offensively for KWC, which is averaging 98.7 points a game.
The Panthers have four starters averaging in double figures.
Anthony Young leads that group at 24.2 points and 10.5 rebounds a game.
Cardell McFarland has been scoring nearly as much, hitting for 23.7 points a game.
The Panthers have been getting more and more contributions from
Dominique Dawson and
Brandon Johnson.
Dawson, a 6-foot-8 sophomore center, is shooting 75 percent from the floor and has become more assertive in his shot blocking.
Johnson didn't score much in a 74-71 road win at Lewis last week, but the guard did have eight points, six rebounds, six assists and just two turnovers in a game-high 38 minutes.
The Panthers will also have one of their most physical players back from last year for this game.
Marseilles Stewart returns after missing a couple of weeks with a broken bone in his right hand.
“He has been practicing this week,” Lee said. “It was good to have him back. He's vocal, he's a senior leader. He's been working hard this week and he will play anywhere from 20 to 25 minutes. We're hoping to get that out of him.
Cedarville (6-2) lost recently at No. 9 Findlay by six points, so the Yellowjackets could pose a challenge for KWC.
“Cedarville shoots 46 percent from 3, and a bunch of their guys can really shoot it,” Lee said. “They are big across the front line.”
Austin Foote shoots 49 percent on 3s and Zach Brown shoots 63 percent from long range.
