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DEC.
10 — Leafs Roll Past Indiana University-East, 81-51
Goshen
responds from first MCC loss with blowout win at home |
Goshen, IN — Following a 12-point loss
to Mid-Central Conference foe Indiana Wesleyan University less than 48
hours earlier, the Goshen College men’s basketball team made certain
to get back on the winning track in an 81-51 win over Indiana University-East
Saturday afternoon in the Roman Gingerich Center. Eight Goshen players
scored eight points or more in the rout, allowing Leafs’ head coach
Stan Daugherty to plunge deep into his bench for the majority of the contest.
“This was a good game for us to play at this time,” Daugherty
said. “Our
regulars were able to get some rest and our young players were
able to get some quality game time. I thought defensively we played fairly
solid
and contested shots throughout the game. Offensively, I liked
how we shared the ball and had balanced scoring. We relaxed and shot the
ball well,
and that’s important for us in any game.”
With the bitter taste of the team’s first MCC loss of the season
still fresh (click here for IWU game recap), Goshen (10-3, 3-1) opened
Saturday’s contest with a business-like approach, grabbing a no-thrills
12-4 lead just five minutes into the game. The Leafs’ advantage
ballooned to 42-23 with 5:00 remaining in the first half, while an 18
for 35 first-half shooting performance (51.4 percent) helped the team
to a 46-26 halftime lead.
As Daugherty’s squad cooled only slightly in the second half (11
for 26 from the field, 46.2 percent), its defensive intensity did not,
as the team forced the Pioneers into just an 11 for 30 second-half shooting
performance (36.7 percent) after an 11 for 28 first-half result (39.3
percent). With Goshen’s starting unit resting comfortably on the
bench throughout the second period, the Leafs were able to continue extending
their lead, eventually grabbing a 69-34 advantage midway through the period.
I.U.-East was only able to cut the lead to 23 points (a 74-51 deficit
at the game’s 4:21 mark) before Goshen cruised to the 30-point win.
Balance and unselfishness were evident in the final statistics,
as all but two Goshen players scored with eight charting eight or more
points. Sophomore Brice Hartman led the way with 11 points on a three
for four shooting effort, while classmate Tyler Stotler and freshman Bryce
Bow added 10 apiece. Senior Tyler Sheerer, junior Matt Crawford and freshman
Josh Martin all scored nine points, while junior David Haire and freshman
Sam Boldman each carded eight. Martin led Goshen’s pace on the glass,
collecting nine rebounds while senior Eric Walsh grabbed five, putting
him just two rebounds away from breaking the program’s all-time
rebounding record. Walsh scored just four points in the game, but dished
out four assists, second only to classmate Jordan Buller’s five
dimes.
“Josh Martin played well inside and Bryce Bow shot the ball well
from the perimeter,” Daugherty said. “Sam Boldman was active
at both ends of the floor. It was a good team win and allowed
us to bounce back some from the Indiana Wesleyan game. I think that we
are fairly pleased
to be 10-3 and 3-1 in the league, but we know that our toughest
games are ahead of us. I am looking forward to getting everyone healthy
and
seeing how much we can improve after the new year.”
Goshen will have one final contest before a brief hiatus for
the Christmas holiday, as the team will travel to central Ohio to face
Ohio Dominican University on Friday evening. Due to scheduling conflicts
at Ohio Dominican, the game will be played on the campus of Otterbein
College. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. |
Sophomore
Tyler Stotler
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