Box Score
Everyone seemed to want to get in the action for Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday.
Six players scored in double figures while point guard Lucas Barker and power forward Dazmond Starke turned in double-doubles as the Panthers (2-0) disposed of Urbana (1-2), 88-65, at the Sportscenter.
"That's the way we're going to have to play," coach Todd Lee said. "We're not going to have one or
two guys dominate the scoring. It's good to see guys have good balance."
Despite a relatively poor first half by Lee's own admission, KWC was able to overcome foul trouble and use several big runs to maintain its lead. The Panthers never trailed and led by as many as 18 in the first half before surpassing that total in the final minutes of the game.
Barker continued his solid play for the second game in a row, logging 14 points, 10 assists and no turnovers in 37 minutes of play.
Starke got the nod to start in place of Dominique Dawson, who suffered an injury this week in practice, and made sure there was no drop-off in production. He scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Both helped spark an 18-4 KWC run to start the second half, putting the Panthers up 56-35. Urbana never got closer than 11 points from that point on.
Lee said Starke needs to be a guy who brings a lot of energy when he's on the floor, no matter when he gets in the game. That's no problem, the University of Idaho transfer said. He's used to having to make the most of his minutes.
"I came from the University of Idaho and I didn't start. I was used to starting my whole life," he said. "Just coming off the bench, I just sit and observe the game. When I come in, I do what I have to do. I see how the pace is going and then I just come in and do what I need to do."
The Panthers played a little handicapped with senior guard Kreig Oxley out with turf toe. They also started the second half with two players, Donovan Johnson and Rico Ferguson, having three fouls apiece.
KWC was called for 14 total fouls in the first half, and Ferguson was called for a technical foul for arguing when Starke was called for a charge. Lee also picked up a technical foul for arguing a call.
Cornbread Walker and J.D. Danforth started the second half with two fouls.
"I think part of that was not being ready to play," Lee said of the foul trouble. "We've got to do a better job. We've got a lot of new guys. I didn't feel like we were ready to play. I thought guys got in foul trouble because of that."
KWC nearly went scoreless for the final 6:05 of the first half. It took a Luke Shelley 3-pointer with 45 seconds to go to break the drought. Urbana used that time to orchestrate a 13-3 run to end the half and make it a 38-31 score at halftime.
But the Panthers responded in the second stanza with several players putting together strong halves. Johnson scored all 12 of his points in the second half and Starke grabbed eight rebounds.
Dawson played 17 minutes off the bench while dealing with an injury and still finished with 11 points and four rebounds.
The Panthers certainly didn't play flawless. They finished with 16 turnovers as a team and shot 43 percent (9-of-21) on free throws.
But they still were able to finish.
"We took some bad shots. I had to sub three guys out for bad shots," Lee said. "That can't happen — one of them is a senior. But I thought we played better in the second half — defensively — and we moved the ball better in the second half."
