Team play drives KWC to win - Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

Box Score

Kentucky Wesleyan College basketball coach Todd Lee wanted more team play from the Panthers on Saturday night -- and he got it.

Exhibiting patience in its set offense, No. 16 KWC knocked off No. 24 Ferris State 85-73 on the second night of the Owensboro Classic before an estimated 2,100 fans at the Sportscenter.

The Panthers (5-0) next play on Thursday, when they entertain No. 3 Bellarmine in the opening game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule.

"It was tough going against a very athletic basketball team," Lee said, in reference to Ferris State. "They had already beaten two teams from our conference (Lewis and Saint Joseph's), so we knew they would be a challenge.

"I was very proud of our guys tonight, though, because we ran our offense much better, and we distributed the ball much better. We were more like a team tonight, and that's what I was looking for."

KWC shot 57 percent in the first half and led 42-34 at intermission.

Early in the second half, the Panthers got a pair of 3-point baskets from Chris Williams, and two more from Anthony Young and Kwan Waller, to highlight a 14-4 run that stretched a six-point lead to 56-40 with 14:42 to play.

"We did a good job of making the extra pass," said KWC point guard Cardell McFarland, the tournament Most Outstanding Player who finished with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists. "We got the ball to the open man, and we knocked down our 3s."

Ferris State (3-2), however, would not fold.

The Bulldogs went on an 11-3 run of their own -- keyed by Matt DeHart's consecutive 3-pointers -- to slice their deficit to 65-59 with 7:20 to play.

After a dry spell for both clubs, two free throws by Darien Gay pulled Ferris State again within six with 4:50 to play, but Wesleyan pulled away down the stretch, thanks in large part to superb free-throw shooting -- Young going 8-of-8 from the stripe over the final five minutes.

"I take a lot of pride in my foul shooting -- most big men don't shoot very well from the line, and that's something I've always worked hard on," said Young, who finished with 26 points and eight rebounds, finishing 6-of-8 from the field (2-for-2 on 3s) and 12-of-12 from the foul stripe. "I try to be an all-around player, inside and out."

KWC also got 15 points from Williams, along with 11 points and a game-best seven assists from senior guard Kwan Waller.

"I thought Kwan played well in this one," Lee said. "He took good shots, and he made good decisions with his passes.

"Also, he was much more active and aggressive -- the way he needs to play to be effective for us."

Ferris State was led by Gay, who had 25 points and four assists. All-American candidate Justin Keenan, a 6-foot-7, 265-pound center, added 20 points and seven rebounds, finishing 6-of-10 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the foul stripe.

"He got 20 (points), but we made him work for them," Young said. "I think we did a pretty good job (on him), overall."

Wesleyan finished at 57 percent from the field, and drained 31-of-38 foul shots for 82 percent. The Panthers turned the ball over 21 times, but compensated for that by outrebounding the Bulldogs, 35-25.

Ferris State shot 42 percent from the floor and made 17-of-23 foul shots (74 percent).

* In Saturday's opener, Drury rolled past Urbana 96-72. Box Score.

* All-Tournament: Cardell McFarland (MOP) and Anthony Young, of Kentucky Wesleyan; Justin Keenan and Darien Gay, of Ferris State; Alex Hall of Drury; Robert Wilson of Urbana.

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