Tough Outing in Cleveland, Ga.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virgin Islands (2-10, 1-4) | 30 | 51 | 81 |
|
Truett McConnell (9-5, 5-4) | 44 | 49 | 93 |
CLEVELAND, Ga. Poor officiating overshadowed the University of the Virgin Islands' contest with Truett McConnell as the hometown Bears pulled away with a 93-81 victory Wednesday evening in men's basketball play.
With UVI trailing 66-62 at the 10-minute mark, a call that went against UVI incensed the Buccaneers' bench (and deeply upset the UVI fans that came to support their team) and led to two very quick technical fouls. Truett McConnell was gifted six free throws to extend its lead to 72-62. There was an earlier technical foul called on UVI's bench after there was a flopping foul call made without a previous warning. In total, UVI was assessed five technical fouls, which resulted in 11 free points for the Bears. For the entire season, up to this point, the Buccaneers had only been assessed one technical foul.
Prior to that point, the game was shaping up to be a thriller as the Buccaneers used a 13-2 run to climb from under a 56-45 deficit to make it a one-point, 58-57 game. Jamal Norris led the team with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting and 5-of-12 from deep, despite fouling out with eight minutes remaining. Chris Williams (20 points) and Will Boyd (16) set new personal season-highs in scoring.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final Score: Truett McConnell def. The University of the Virgin Islands, 93-81
Records: UVI Men's 2-9; Truett McConnell 8-5
Location: Benjamin F. Brady Arena; Cleveland, Ga.
Date: December 15, 2021
GAME NOTES
-
Together, Norris and Williams brought the Buccaneers back into this game in the second half. In just 10 minutes of work in the final period, Norris had 17 points on six-of-eight shooting, which included five three-pointers. It started with a Norris steal and dunk which cut the deficit to 44-36, then Norris made four consecutive three-pointers for UVI, which flipped a 47-36 deficit into 56-50. A pair of Williams free throws were included in that stretch. Williams had 16 points in the second half, plus he had an assist on one of Norris' threes.
-
A thunderous dunk off an offensive rebound from Will Boyd made it a 58-54 game and Williams delivered with a big-time three-point play to make it a one-point affair. Norris added another three right before the two techs blew the game open in favor of the Bears.
-
The Buccaneers' momentum was stolen from them as they were never able to cut the deficit to under seven after the two quick techs. Williams, with an assist from Eliyah Stevens, connected on his first three-pointer of the season to make it an 83-75 game, and Jaren Johnson added another basket with 4:19 left to play for an 84-77 score. Trailing 86-79 after a Denny Gonzalez bucket, the dagger came in the form of a Truett McConnell three on the very next possession to return the Bears' lead to double digits.
-
The game was back-and-forth through the first 12 minutes of action. There were 10 lead changes and six ties in that timespan before Truett McConnell went on an 11-0 run in the first half to break a 21-21 tie. The Bears sported a 44-32 lead at halftime.
STAT FACTS
-
Truett McConnell was sent to the charity stripe 36 times, 19 more than UVI. That was a season-high for the Bears and that was just the second team all season that a UVI opponent was awarded 26+ free throws. Alternatively, 17 free throws from UVI is the second-lowest mark of the season.
-
For the third consecutive game, Williams has set a new season mark in scoring. He had a then-season-high 12 against Trinity Baptist, followed by 17 versus Coastal Georgia, and now he has his first 20-point game after Truett McConnell. He was the only Buccaneer able to consistently get to the free throw line, going 9-of-10 compared to just seven attempts for the other Buccaneers.
-
Boyd had 11 rebounds, including seven offensive to pair with his 16 points. He shot 8-of-10 from the field, which included a couple of jumpers. He also had two blocks.
-
Stevens, the hometown kid from Atlanta, Ga., recorded season-high totals of 12 rebounds and four blocks. He had just one block all season.
-
Johnson had eight points, five boards, four assists, and two blocks while LiWayne Richardson contributed seven rebounds and four points.
-
EJ Smith led Truett McConnell with 31 points, including 12-of-13 on free throws.
UP NEXT
-
It's winter break!!! When the Buccaneers finally do return to the court, it will be at home inside the UVI Sports & Fitness Center on January 16 when they welcome Rust College for the Martin Luther King Classic. Tip-off slated for 4 p.m. AST.
