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Strong second half lifts Western to 80-74 win over Southern Utah

March 18, 2008 on 9:50 pm | In Athletics |

MACOMB, Ill. - David Jackson scored 16 points, all in the second half, to lead Western Illinois to an 80-74 win over Southern Utah at home, in a game in which neither team led by more than nine points.

Jackson converted a three-point play with 6:02 left in the game to put the Leathernecks (11-11, 6-5 The Summit League) on top for good at 65-62. The Thunderbirds (5-17, 3-8 The Summit League) tested Western down the stretch, allowing the deficit to not get beyond six points. Twice in the final :24, Southern Utah cut the lead to two points. David Nurse and James Washington were able to sink free throws each time to build the lead back to four points. Larry Dumas was able to strip the ball away from Thunderbird guard Mike Josserand with :08 left on the clock, and then sink a pair of free throws to lock up the win. Western hit its final seven free throws of the game, after hitting just 12 of the previous 23.

Western came out strong at the start of the game by scoring the first six points of the contest. Southern Utah stormed its way back by answering with an 11-0 run over 2:13 to take an 11-6 lead. The Leathernecks took control back on a Dumas layup with 9:41 left in the half, to grab a 16-15 lead. The Thunderbirds immediately answered with a three-point play from Dax Crum to regain the advantage. Western managed to tie the game up at 20-20 with a Washington layup, and again at 23-23 after a Dumas free throw with 6:50 left in the half. The rest of the opening frame belonged to Southern Utah as they led by nine, 39-30 at the break.

“They got the ball where they wanted to,” said Western Illinois head coach Derek Thomas. “Our goal was to take away some of their options and we didn’t do a very good job of that which led to them hitting some high percentage shots.”

Jackson, along with Nurse had to watch a majority of the first half from the bench, as they both picked up two fouls early on in the game, playing a combined 10 minutes in the first half..

“We’ve been getting a lot of guys in foul trouble and that’s something we have to watch,” Thomas added of the first half foul trouble. “But it has allowed some other guys the chance to get in and play. In the second half tonight, we were able to bring in some extra guys and really get a lift from that.”

Western received a spark from Nurse and Jackson after the break. The duo score seven of the points on a 9-0 run to start the second half, and erase the deficit. After the Thunderbirds took the lead back, Jackson hit a three with 16:21 left to put the Leathernecks ahead 44-41. Western maintained its lead until Tyler Quinney hit a layup to tie it at 62-62 with 7:09 left. Jackson came up with a steal two possessions later, converting his three-point play to put Western ahead for the remainder of the game.

“Without the great crowd we had tonight, it could have been a different game,” Thomas stated of the atmosphere at home. “They provided our team so much energy tonight and it was an awesome feeling in here tonight.”

Jerryck Owens-Murrey and David DuBois chipped in 13 points for Western tonight. Chris Gonzalez tied his career high with 11 points, while Dumas set a career high by scoring 11 as well. Southern Utah had five players in double figures, led by the game-high 17 out of Geoff Payne.

“Larry’s a bundle of energy,” Thomas said of his freshman. “When we can control it to be very organized, he can be a very tenacious guy to be guarding you on the other end.”

Coach Thomas took the floor for tonight’s game just hours after learning that his father, Emmit, had been selected for the NFL Hall of Fame and that he will be inducting him on August 2 in Canton, Ohio.

“This is probably the hardest day I’ve ever had in terms of trying to focus on a basketball game. It was hard to focus and I was worried about it for a while, but the guys were ready to go tonight.”

Western hits the road next weekend for a pair of games in The Summit League, kicking off with North Dakota State on Thursday, February 7, at 7 p.m.

Originaly from Source