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Men's Basketball Sunday, February 20, 2011

Leatherneck Men's Basketball Loses Another Close One

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MACOMB, Ill. - Despite a career-high 26 points from senior guard Matt Lander (Evansville, Ind.), the Western Illinois men's basketball team dropped a 68-63 decision to Southern Utah on Saturday night (Feb. 19). With the Summit League loss, the Leathernecks were eliminated from qualifying for the eight-team postseason tournament.

For the second straight game the decision came down to the final minute. Western trailed by seven at the 3:16 mark then charged back. Kaimarr Price (Phoenix, Ariz.) sank an outside jumper then Lander followed with another field goal making it 60-57. SUU hit two free throws but Lander kept his hot hand and hit again in the lane.

Damon Heuir made the second of two free throws. Once again Lander was fouled going to the basket and hit both attempts for a two-point deficit. Ray Jones made 1-of-2 with 29 seconds left in regulation. Lander got the ball, drove the lane and just missed his shot while getting fouled. He made both free throws for a 64-63 score.

Jones made two free throws after quickly getting fouled for a 66-63 game with 18 seconds left. Jack Houpt (Chesterton, Ind.) came up short on a 3-pointer from top of the key with six seconds and the team had to foul. Jones made both free throw attempts for the final margin.

The loss marked the 10th straight for Western (7-20 overall, 2-14 Summit), limited for the last six weeks with just eight healthy players.

"We fought real hard tonight and gave ourselves a chance to win, but we just couldn't get over the hump. We got a great effort from Matt Lander, Kaimarr Price had a great second half and we got some good minutes off the bench from Abdou Niang," said Western head coach Jim Molinari. "I've told our guys I appreciate their effort and they never quit on us. They just want to win real bad and that showed tonight."

Western took an early 14-8 lead as Lander scored 12 of the team's first 16 points. SUU (10-17, 6-10) used a 17-8 run to go ahead by three. Right before halftime, the Thunderbirds missed a shot but got a steal under their basket and converted in the paint.

Southern Utah carried that momentum over in the second half, going on a 6-0 run to start. Price scored inside then hit from 15 feet to end the run. Jelani Johnson (Aurora, Ill.) hit consecutive 3-pointers to make it a one point game.

Kyle Davis hit a jumper then Niang (Dakar, Senegal) made two free throws followed by a baseline 18-footer and a free throw to eventually tie the game.

Down two, Houpt drained a 3-pointer then followed with another three-point play to put the Leathernecks ahead for the first time since the opening half. Price and Lander combined for three free throws, then Johnson hit from long distance again for Western's biggest lead of the half, 49-42 at the 9:20 mark. Southern Utah used a 14-1 run over the next five minutes to take the lead, then made 10-of-12 free throws over the final 3:12 to secure the win.

Lander, who in the previous game matched his high of 24 points for the third time this season, hit 6-of-12 field goals and 12-of-14 at the line to set his new personal scoring standard. He added four assists before fouling out with his game-high 26 points.

Price chipped in 12 points while Houpt and Johnson added nine points apiece. Western shot 45 percent from the field, hit seven 3-pointers and was 18-of-23 at the line.

Jackson Stevenett led SUU with 15 points, one of four in double-figures. The Thunderbirds, who clinched the eighth and final spot in the postseason tournament with the win, shot 62.5 percent from the field and was 26-of-34 at the line.

Western takes to the road next weekend, traveling to Centenary on Thursday night (Feb. 24). Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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