(Box Score) Goshen, IN – Coming into Tuesday night’s game against Davenport University, the Goshen College men’s basketball team was 3-1 both in games following Maple City Hoopfests and against Davenport overall.
Sophomore Errick McCollum made sure to make it 4-1 on both accounts.
The 2007 Mid-Central Conference Newcomer of the Year poured in a career-high 37 points to go with a career-high 12 rebounds to help the Leafs to a 77-67 win over the Panthers at the Roman Gingerich Center, putting on a vastly impressive offensive display: McCollum finished 11 of 18 from the field and 10 of 11 from the free throw line, going five for six from three-point land while dishing out four assists and collecting three steals in 34 minutes of action.
The 37-point outburst was McCollum’s third consecutive 30-point contest – he scored 30 in both Maple City Hoopfest games this weekend, click here for related article – while helping Goshen avenge a heartbreaking 80-77 loss at Davenport last season (click here for article). His previous career high of 31 points came against Spring Arbor University last year (click here for article).
“Obviously, Errick was pretty good tonight,” said Gary Chupp, Goshen head coach. “What was really good to see was how well he shot the ball tonight. He has been putting up numbers but hasn’t been shooting a great percentage from the field.”
McCollum’s night helped offset a sluggish start for Goshen (4-1, 0-0) as Davenport opened the game with a 15 to four run. A pair of free throws from junior Kyle Laker followed by – naturally – a three ball from McCollum cut the Panthers’ lead to just six points with 12:53 to play in the first, but Davenport was comfortable. The visitors claimed a 23-15 lead with 9:51 remaining in the first half, but Goshen got back into the game via an 11 to four run.
McCollum capped that stretch with another long three-pointer that gave Goshen a 29-27 lead, while the Leafs eventually went into the locker room with a 34-31 halftime advantage.
“We’ve been telling our guys that it is never about the opponent, it’s always about us,” Chupp said. “Tonight we did not come out ready to play. The first four or five minutes was about as bad as we could play. It is not a coincidence that we trailed by 11 points early on. To our credit, we were able to claw our way back in it, but we have to understand that if we spot an MCC opponent 11 points they are going to bury us.”
While Davenport was unable to bury the Leafs at any point, the visitors did remain close, taking a 55-54 lead with just 7:02 remaining in the game. An interior basket from sophomore Nate West and yet another long ball from McCollum turned the score back in Goshen’s favor, however, claiming a 59-55 advantage with 4:44 to play.
The Panthers pulled within two points just 23 seconds later, but a pair of free throws from Scott Bruggeman and a big three pointer from Laker pushed Goshen ahead 64-57 with just over three minutes to play, essentially deciding the outcome. Forced to foul, Davenport would get no closer than five points the remainder of the way, while McCollum padded his stats by going eight for eight from the free throw line in the game’s final 1:25.
Laker was Goshen’s only other double-digit point scorer, notching 12 markers on a four for six performance from the field. West finished with five points and an impressive 10 rebounds (a career high), while senior Brice Hartman and sophomore Caleb Kitchell each scored seven.
“Kyle Laker stepped up and hit a big three for us late,” Chupp said. “They were obviously keying on Errick and he did a good job of giving the ball up. We go through stretches where we play good basketball, but those stretches are not long enough. We need to learn to play with a high energy level for 40 full minutes. These early non-conference games are all about learning from mistakes. We will get it figured out.”
Goshen will next prepare for its second weekend tournament of the season, as the team will travel to the Siena Heights Maple City Classic tournament beginning Friday evening. Goshen will face Daemen College in the event’s first game at 6 p.m. Host Siena Heights and Holy Cross College round out the four-team field.
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Sophomore Errick McCollum