Sport in world

Jackson breaks Western

March 27, 2008 on 10:25 pm | In Athletics |

BROOKINGS, S.D. - David Jackson broke the Division I career scoring mark at Western Illinois as South Dakota State won a 81-75 contest at the Frost Arena.

The Leathernecks (11-13, 6-7 The Summit League) found themselves down four early until David DuBois put them on the board with a layup 1:31 into the game. After the Jackrabbits (8-16, 3-10 The Summit League) got a three-pointer from Clint Sargent to give them a 10-5 lead, only to see Western fight back with consecutive buckets from Delvon Johnson and DuBois to cut it to 10-9 with 15:13 left in the half. The Leathernecks kept the deficit at no more than five points until SDSU converted a three-point play with 8:21 left in the half to go up 28-22. David Nurse brought Western back within five when he connected on a running jumper to make it a 34-29 contest. However, the Jackrabbits managed to stretch their lead to as many as nine before taking their 42-34 advantage at the half.

“You can’t spot teams on the road and expect to come back and win,” stated Western Illinois head coach Derek Thomas. “We can’t be even with a team and expect to win down the stretch. The ball didn’t bounce our way a few times and those are the breaks you can’t rely on in games like this on the road.”

A DuBois jumper, followed by a Jackson steal and dunk in transition with 17:18 left in the game, forced SDSU to take a time out after their halftime lead of eight points, was cut in half at 44-40. The Jackrabbits stretched the advantage back out to nine points 1:17 later, hitting four free throws after a DuBois personal and then technical foul. Western fought back to within four points on four occasions. With 3:43 on the clock, Jackson hit a jumper to make the score 70-67 in favor of SDSU. The teams traded buckets before the Jackrabbits were able to pull out to a two possession lead with 1:43 left in the game. Western could not cut into that lead and SDSU closed out the six point victory.

Jackson had to sit out a good portion of the second half after picking up his fourth foul with 15:50 left in the game.

“Having David (Jackson) out of the game really cost us a lot,” Thomas added. “He was the one guy we felt like they would struggle to guard and it was tough for all of us to watch with him on the bench. All the other guys deserve credit though because they kept us in it and that’s why we had a chance when he came back in.”

Western shot the ball well all night, finishing 53 percent (27-of-51) from the floor, and 60 percent (3-of-5) from beyond the arc. SDSU was hot in the first half shooting 62 percent (16-of-26) and finished the game 46 percent (24-of-52) from the field. The Jackrabbits held the edge on the glass 35-27, and forced the Leathernecks into 12 turnovers while committing 11 themselves.

“It takes so much energy getting the stops that we need,” Thomas said of the late comeback effort. “We get to that point, but we expend so much energy getting there and maybe miss a call next and just can’t get back in the game then.”

The Leathernecks return to Macomb for a match up with league-leading Oral Roberts, Thursday, February 14, at 7 p.m.
Originaly from Source