Scheduled Game: Creighton

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GAME RESULTS 1 2 T Creighton Jays 46 36 82 « FINAL TWU Spartans 42 37 79

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Game Recap

Men's Basketball (Non-Conference game)
Monday, October 20, 2003
TWU Spartans (79) vs. the Creighton University Jays (82)

Who Says "White Men Can't Jump"?

Langley, British Columbia - In a close loss (82-79) punctuated by a Dave Martens first half block and second half dunk, the Spartans' men's basketball team were a couple of missed three-pointers away from defeating the visiting Creighton University Jays tonight.

It was the final night of NCAA competition for the TWU Spartans, and everyone had it pegged as a sure win for last year's 15th-ranked, and Sweet Sixteen participant, Creighton University. The home team would have none of it, however, and played from the opening whistle like they meant to show their southern visitors some good ol' Canadian basketball.

The game opened with a quick two points by Adam Friesen less than ten seconds into the half and never slowed down the rest of the way. It was a game characterized by lots of turnovers (31 total) caused by quick hands on defense, missed free throws (Jays 57.7% and Spartans 63.6%), but high field goal percentages (both at 51.7%), and fast-paced, entertaining basketball. The crowd of over 800 people definitely got their money's worth tonight.

After opening up a quick four-point lead over the Jays, the Spartans turned the ball over a couple of times, resulting in Creighton catching up to tie the score. Another Spartan turnover resulted in Creighton's Johnny Mathies racing down court for an easy two points-or maybe not so easy. Several Spartan players raced back to defend, but it was Dave Martens who timed his leap perfectly to cleanly swipe the shot out of midair.

Jon Lundgren (10 pts) and Adam Friesen (20 pts) combined for 30 of TWU's 42 first-half points, putting on an offensive show that was virtually unstoppable. Creighton threw different defensive assignments at Friesen all night but could not find a way to slow him down. After a tough night on Friday against the New Mexico Lobos, in which he shot 33.3% from the floor, Adam was due for a breakout performance, and he picked the perfect night.

The first half remained close for the majority of the 20 minutes, with the biggest lead being seven points by Creighton before the Spartans closed the gap with some timely free throw shooting. The Jays managed to hold on to go into the break up 46-42. Creighton's Nate Funk led his team with 13 points in the first half.

The second half was as close as the first, and the largest lead at any one point was a mere six points by the visitors. Soon after (7:50), the Spartans went on a 9-2 run to regain the lead (70-69) with about four minutes to play. A couple of subsequent missed jumpers allowed the Jays to reopen that six-point lead, but that's a lead that can quickly vanish in a fast basketball game, and the Spartans again fought back to tie the score twice in the last 1:30 of the contest. In the end it came down to free throws made by the Jays as the Spartans were forced to foul to stop the clock. Jon Lundgren hit a clutch three-pointer with 12 seconds on the clock to bring TWU within one (80-79), but those three points were the last the Spartans would score. Nate Funk sealed the Jays' win with two final free throws (going 4-4 in the last 20 seconds).

The Spartan men ran their signature inbounds play in the second half, with Friesen hitting Martens on the alley-oop inbounds pass for the sweet flush. Always a crowd-pleaser, this time the crowd roared extra loud, perhaps because of who the competition was tonight.

Adam Friesen led all scorers with 27 points, none bigger than the three he scored from waaaay downtown (about eight feet beyond the arc on the left side, in almost the exact spot where he scored in last year's playoff series against SFU) with a defender right in his face and just under two minutes to play. Creighton's Nate Funk was a close second with 24 on the night.

Game Notes: the taller Creighton Jays had the rebounding edge tonight (31-24), allowing the Spartans' usual rebounding leader, Logan Kitteringham, a mere 6 boards...Creighton had 14 steals, TWU 12...the score was tied five times each by the Jays and Spartans...the lead changed hands a total of nine times...

-TW-

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