SIOUX FALLS – A game-winning three-point shot from Charles Ward with less than a second left provided the difference as the University of Sioux Falls men's basketball team rallied from 19 points down to record a 69-67 win over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday before 903 in attendance at the Stewart Center on the USF campus.
The Cougars, which trailed 44-25 with 17:06 left in the game, evened their record at 6-6 and sit 3-3 in the NSIC South. With the victory, USF extended its winning streak to three games. SMSU, which received a game-high 28 points from Joey Bartlett, dropped to 8-4 overall and 4-2 in the NSIC South.
While Ward, a senior from Phoenix, Ariz., once again led the team in scoring with 23 points, the Cougars received contributions across the roster. In total, five players scored in double figures, including both J.R. Hollis with career bests in points (10) and rebounds (7) and junior Jordan Stotts, who added 12 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. Sophomore guard Freddie Young had 12 points, two assists and two steals while sophomore guard Mack Johnson provided 10 points.
“This was a big win for our guys. They never quit battling and scrapping, even when facing a large deficit,” said seventh year head coach Chris Johnson, whose team moved to 3-2 at home this season. “Everyone on this team contributed to this victory today. I am really proud of the effort,” he said.
Ward, who had his 10th 20-point game of his career, reached double digits for the 12th time this season and 28th overall in his career. He knocked down 10-of-20 shots, including 2-of-6 from three-point range. He also had six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 32 minutes of action.
“You can't say enough about how Charles (Ward) continued to take the ball to the basket, creating opportunities. But that is true of the whole group tonight. J.R. (Hollis) and Jordan (Stotts) really played well for us off the bench,” said Johnson, whose team split the season series with SMSU.
In all six wins this season, USF has outshot its opponents. Against SMSU, which is the second-best shooting team in the NSIC (49.9%), the Cougars had a 48.3 percent (29-of-60) to 47.1 percent (24-of-51) edge. USF, which recorded six second-half dunks, was 5-of-17 from three-point range but just 6-of-15 from the foul line for 40 percent. While SMSU hit just 4-of-16 from distance, they were solid at the free throw line at 71.4 percent (15-of-21). The Cougars, which had five or more rebounds from four players, out boarded the Mustangs, 35-33.
In the first half, the Cougars opened quickly on SMSU as a three-pointer from Stotts gave the Cougars a 7-2 advantage at the 14:54 mark of the first half. USF pushed the edge to 10-6 at the 12:12 mark when Young hit from three-point range. SMSU answered with a 7-2 run to take the lead at 13-12 with 9:04 to play in the half.
With momentum in their favor, the Mustangs followed with a 9-1 run for a 24-14 advantage with 5:10 to play in the half. Then, they took their largest lead of the first half at 32-19 with 2:14 left as Cole Martin knocked down a three. Young closed out the scoring for USF with 48 seconds to play as USF trailed 34-23 at the break.
Things didn't look particularly bright for USF when the Mustangs opened the second half on a 10-2 run for a 44-25 lead with 17:06 left in the game. But before a holiday crowd at home, the Cougars answered with a charge of their own, putting together a 12-0 run to cut the SMSU advantage to 44-37 with 15:21 left in the game.
After the Mustangs took a 57-50 lead with 9:09 to play, the Cougars began their final move on the Mustangs. Over the next four minutes, the Cougars cut the lead to one as Zach Wessel's layup with 5:33 was part of a 10-3 run by USF. Then, with 4:25 to play, Stotts's offensive rebound and put-back pulled USF within 62-61.
SMSU was able to assert a little control as a score by Bartlett gave them a 65-61 lead with 2:38 on the clock. But, USF had yet another answer and took their first lead since the 9:04 mark of the first half - a span of 31:24 - as Sotts scored inside off an assist from Young for a 66-65 lead with 22 seconds to play. Then, Ward had the game-winning shot with .3 seconds left on the clock as the Cougars had a 7-2 run over the final 1:25.
USF returns to action on Friday, Jan. 2 with a matchup with rival and #18 Augustana at the Stewart Center.
