Box Score
Kentucky Wesleyan College turned up the defensive pressure in the second half and that helped it subdue Trevecca Nazarene 77-71 on Saturday in front of 2,000 fans at the Sportscenter.
KWC put four players in double figures in the scoring column and got an important contribution from Tre Boutilier off the bench. Boutilier scored 11 points and didn't miss a shot from the floor (4-of-4) or the free-throw line (3-of-3). The 6-foot-5 junior grabbed six rebounds and also blocked two shots.
Getting more in motion on the defensive end was what gave KWC enough space on the scoreboard in the second half. The Panthers tried to get more steals and deflections.
Guard Marcus Fillyaw made five steals to go with eight assists and three turnovers. KWC forced 14 Trevecca turnovers.
"We have a 40 deflection rate we want to get for games and we stuck with that, we emphasized that," Boutilier said. "Defense wins games."
Trevecca was very accurate shooting from distance in the first half, hitting 13-of-26 from the floor and 5-of-10 on 3-pointers.
"I think we got back on our heels a little," KWC associate head coach KC Goodin said. Goodin sat in for KWC head coach Happy Osborne for postgame interviews. "At the half we told our guys 'you've worked hard, now got get them.'"
The Panthers took it to heart almost immediately in the second half. They slowly got out to a 54-46 lead after a follow basket and two free throws by Boutilier.
A couple of 3-pointers by Bosley and Langford pushed the lead to 64-50 with seven minutes left.
Blackwell made another 3 from the corner and Boutilier converted a traditional 3-point play to give KWC a 72-63 cushion with 2:19 left.
Boutilier was at his best rushing in for follow baskets in the second half.
"When you shoot the ball, the majority of the time the ball is going to come to the weak side so I tend to go to that side," Boutilier said. "My intuition is to go for the ball and get it."
He also battled Trevecca's 6-10 center Matt Gamberoni, who finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
"He's a little undersized but he makes up for it with heart and effort," Goodin said of Boutilier. "He has very good instincts where the ball is coming off. He anticipates well. His job tonight was to keep Gamberoni off the glass and go get it. He did a really good job."
Trevecca made 9-of-26 from the floor in the second half and 4-of-10 on 3-pointers. Trevecca made 22-of-52 from the floor for 42.3 percent and 9-of-20 for 45 percent on 3-pointers. Trevecca made 18-of-21 free throws.
"We did a better job of keeping their guards out of the lane then kicking out to their shooters," Goodin said. "We needed to stay on the drive, stay closed out on shooters and contest shots."
KWC made 26-of-53 for 49 percent from the field. It was 5-of-14 on 3-pointers for 35.7 percent. KWC made 20-of-25 free throws.
