Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
Strong Second Half Lifts Oilers Over Panthers

Strong Second Half Lifts Oilers Over Panthers

Box Score

Great Midwest Digital Network Video Replay (Produced by PulseTV)

Findlay, Ohio – On Thursday, January 12, the University of Findlay men's basketball team trailed by seven points in the second half, but back-and-forth rally saw the home team come away with a 78-73 victory against a stubborn Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers team that did not go away quietly.  With the win, the Oilers improve to 9-6 on the season with a 4-3 record in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play while the Panthers fall to 7-8 overall and 3-4 in the G-MAC.

Just seven minutes into the contest, Findlay had built a ten-point lead at 14-4 and had momentum on their side. But, in just over a minute of play, that lead was all but erased as the Panthers canned three consecutive triples to pull within one.

KWC built up their biggest lead of the first half with just under two minutes to play, taking a seven-point lead at 37-30. However, triples by senior Cameron Shaw and freshman Khalil Luster sandwiched a basket by the Panthers and pulled Findlay to within three at the half at 41-38.

By the first media timeout, Wesleyan had again built up a seven-point lead at 50-43. The two points that got the Panthers to 50 came on free-throws, courtesy of a flagrant foul by Oilers' senior Nathan Bruns. That foul, which was committed with 15:51 to play in the game, was the fourth of the contest for Bruns who then spent much of the second half on the bench due to foul trouble.

Findlay took advantage of a similar situation just a minute later when a technical foul was issued to KWC's Markel Aune. Senior Joey Edmonds hit the two free-throws and later hit a jumper in the paint to give Findlay a 51-50 lead, capping an 8-0 run.

Over the next eight minutes, the teams exchanged leads six times. Findlay took the lead for good with 5:47 to play on a layup by Bruns who split a double team to get the bucket.

Both teams shot 50% from the floor, but it was the Oilers who held the advantage from deep as they hit 8-of-15 (53.3%), increasing their conference-leading percentage from beyond the arc.

KWC dominated the glass, outrebounding Findlay 41-to-21, but Findlay regained those possessions by forcing the Panthers into 22 turnovers while committed just ten of their own.

Senior Deven Stover would lead the way for Findlay on Thursday, scoring 14 points on 5-of-6 from the floor and four made free-throws. He also had three rebounds and a steal. Two of his points came on an emphatic put-back dunk with just over four minutes to play in the game, a play that gave Findlay the momentum it needed to withstand any late charge by the Panthers.

Cameron Shaw put together one of his best performances at Findlay as he scored 12 points on the strength of a pair of triples. Freshman guard Khalil Luster also made good on a couple threes and would finish with ten points in the win.

Bruns finished the game with nine points, two rebounds, and three assists while freshman Max Roth scored eight points and seniors Joey Edmonds and Eisley Swaine scored seven.

Findlay remains home for a matchup with the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans this Saturday, Jan. 14. That game will tip off at 3:00 pm.