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03-16-2018, 09:59 AM
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With the game tied at 61, No. 8-seed Langston's (Okla.) James Morris Jr., had his buzzer beater bounce off the rim twice before finally falling through to give his Lions a 63-61 upset win over top-seeded University of Pikeville in the first round of the NAIA National Championship on Thursday.
Morris Jr., took his deep jumper just inside the 3-point line, over the outstretched hand of Jayvian Delacruz. The shot came out of a timeout with seven seconds left in which the Bears stayed solid on defense up until the improbable make.
While the shot stings for the Bears, it'll more than likely be the 13 missed free throws (12-25) that they wish they could have back. UPIKE led Langston on the glass 37-31 and made one more 3, but being outshot 47-42 percent, 17 turnovers and the 48-percent showing from the stripe allowed the Lions to be able to win it at the buzzer.
"I don't know what happened," said UPIKE head coach Kelly Wells. "We just didn't play our game. It was a lot like the Mid-South Tournament. We just couldn't get it going our way. We played selfishly at times ⦠I'm not sure. I just don't have the answer.
"Give (Langston) credit. They did what they needed to do. They hit the big shot when they needed it and we didn't."
Morris Jr., finished with 12 points as one of four Lions to reach double figures in a game that was mired by foul trouble on both sides in the first half. Dante Bailey and Brandon Eboigbodin led Langston with 14 points each as Eboingbodin made it a double-double with 12 boards as well.
Jordan Perry matched the game high with 14 points for UPIKE as Delacruz was the only other Bear in double digits with 13. Delacruz, who added nine rebounds, and Michael Chambers with eight points and eight boards, both flirted with double-doubles.
Twelve of Perry's points were scored in the second half, the same 20 minutes in which Darrion Leslie scored all eight of his.
The teams combined to shoot 5 of 24 from 3-point range, leaving the game to be won on some tough baskets inside by the Lions, leading to their better mark from the field.
There were 14 ties in the game and 14 lead changes, including seven for each team. UPIKE led by as many as four points and Langston was slightly better with a six-point lead at the 14:29 mark of the second half.
After falling behind by that margin, the Bears outscored Langston 10-4 over the next five minutes, including a layup by Chambers that knotted the score at 42 all. The Bears had led 28-27 on the first basket out of halftime, but didn't take the lead again until it was 46-44 after a fast-break layup by Perry with less than 10 minutes to play.
It was still a two-point lead for UPIKE with 4:26 left when Bailey was fouled on a corner 3. The steady free-throw shooter made all three to flip the lead back to the Lions. A Morris Jr., 3 two minutes later made the Langston lead four, but a quick 4-0 burst by UPIKE on two Perry freebies and a Rodney Hawkins layup tied the game at 59 all.
Bailey and Delacruz traded baskets on the next two-possessions and once there was a minute left the Bears only got one shot attempt the rest of the way, which was a missed deep jumper by Delacruz with 24 seconds left. Langston grabbed the board, worked the clock down for a timeout, then got the heroics from Morris Jr.
UPIKE closes the 2017-18 season with a 28-5 record and MSC Regular-Season Championship. The Lions move to 21-11 and will play the winner of No. 4 Texas Wesleyan and No. 5 Graceland (Iowa) at 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday.
http://upikebears.com/news/2018/3/15/men...gston.aspx
Morris Jr., took his deep jumper just inside the 3-point line, over the outstretched hand of Jayvian Delacruz. The shot came out of a timeout with seven seconds left in which the Bears stayed solid on defense up until the improbable make.
While the shot stings for the Bears, it'll more than likely be the 13 missed free throws (12-25) that they wish they could have back. UPIKE led Langston on the glass 37-31 and made one more 3, but being outshot 47-42 percent, 17 turnovers and the 48-percent showing from the stripe allowed the Lions to be able to win it at the buzzer.
"I don't know what happened," said UPIKE head coach Kelly Wells. "We just didn't play our game. It was a lot like the Mid-South Tournament. We just couldn't get it going our way. We played selfishly at times ⦠I'm not sure. I just don't have the answer.
"Give (Langston) credit. They did what they needed to do. They hit the big shot when they needed it and we didn't."
Morris Jr., finished with 12 points as one of four Lions to reach double figures in a game that was mired by foul trouble on both sides in the first half. Dante Bailey and Brandon Eboigbodin led Langston with 14 points each as Eboingbodin made it a double-double with 12 boards as well.
Jordan Perry matched the game high with 14 points for UPIKE as Delacruz was the only other Bear in double digits with 13. Delacruz, who added nine rebounds, and Michael Chambers with eight points and eight boards, both flirted with double-doubles.
Twelve of Perry's points were scored in the second half, the same 20 minutes in which Darrion Leslie scored all eight of his.
The teams combined to shoot 5 of 24 from 3-point range, leaving the game to be won on some tough baskets inside by the Lions, leading to their better mark from the field.
There were 14 ties in the game and 14 lead changes, including seven for each team. UPIKE led by as many as four points and Langston was slightly better with a six-point lead at the 14:29 mark of the second half.
After falling behind by that margin, the Bears outscored Langston 10-4 over the next five minutes, including a layup by Chambers that knotted the score at 42 all. The Bears had led 28-27 on the first basket out of halftime, but didn't take the lead again until it was 46-44 after a fast-break layup by Perry with less than 10 minutes to play.
It was still a two-point lead for UPIKE with 4:26 left when Bailey was fouled on a corner 3. The steady free-throw shooter made all three to flip the lead back to the Lions. A Morris Jr., 3 two minutes later made the Langston lead four, but a quick 4-0 burst by UPIKE on two Perry freebies and a Rodney Hawkins layup tied the game at 59 all.
Bailey and Delacruz traded baskets on the next two-possessions and once there was a minute left the Bears only got one shot attempt the rest of the way, which was a missed deep jumper by Delacruz with 24 seconds left. Langston grabbed the board, worked the clock down for a timeout, then got the heroics from Morris Jr.
UPIKE closes the 2017-18 season with a 28-5 record and MSC Regular-Season Championship. The Lions move to 21-11 and will play the winner of No. 4 Texas Wesleyan and No. 5 Graceland (Iowa) at 6:45 p.m. ET on Friday.
http://upikebears.com/news/2018/3/15/men...gston.aspx
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