McKENZIE, Tenn. - 1/5/2008 - The No. 22 ranked Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ University Bulldogs posted a 90-68 win over area rival Bethel College (Tenn.) on Saturday afternoon to open TranSouth Conference play. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ improved to 7-4 overall and 1-0 in league play. Bethel dropped to 9-2 on the season and 0-1 in the conference.
In the 11-year history of the TranSouth Conference, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµâ€™s men have won five regular season titles. The Bulldogs have also been to seven of the 11 tournament title games, winning five of them. Last season, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ posted runner-up finishes in both the regular season and tournament.
To start the game, Bethel scored first and pushed their lead to 10-2 in the first two minutes of play. However, the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Bulldogs shook the sluggish start and thanks to a four-point play by the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ and NAIA leading scorer Matt Neaville (30.2 ppg), Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ retook the momentum. Neaville’s four-point play came with Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ trailing 14-8. That play sparked an 8-0 run that saw Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ take the lead for good in the game. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ kept building the lead until the half, when the Bulldogs led 46-30.
The second half started with Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ keeping the momentum on another three pointer by Neaville to give Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ a 49-30 lead. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ continued their scoring attack as they stretched the lead to their biggest of the game at 74-45 with 9:59 remaining in the contest. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµâ€™s balanced attack and solid three-point shooting helped the Bulldogs come away with the 22-point road win, 90-68.
For the first time this season, Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ was led in scoring by someone other that Neaville. Tony Brown led the way with 21 points, making 3-of-4 from three-point range. Bolivar native Brian Lake posted 20 points including 3-of-6 shooting from behind the arc. Neaville posted 18 points (4-8 three pointers), while Ryan Merriman added 17 points and 13 rebounds. Merriman’s 13 rebounds will help improve on his 9.0 rebounds per game which ranks No. 7 in the NAIA.
The Bulldogs shot 49-percent from the field, including 40-percent (10-25) from three-point range. Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ made 16-of-22 free throws (73%) in the game and out rebounded Bethel 48-28 (18-12 offensively).
Bethel was led by LeRoy Bell with 17 points. Leon Sewell added 13 points and Octavius Thompson scored 10 points. The Wildcats shot 40-percent from the field, 27-percent (6-22) from behind the arc, and 50-percent (8-16) from the free throw line.
Up next for Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ will be the first home conference games of the season on Monday, January 7 versus Lyon College (Ark.). The women’s game starts at 6:00 pm followed by the men at 8:00 pm.
#UNION#
| Steven Aldridge Phone: (731) 661-5027 |
Fax: (731) 661-5182 |