WPU Slips Past Culver-Stockton 97-89
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–The Statesmen men’s basketball team slowed down its foe just enough to avoid an upset as it defeated Culver-Stockton (Mo.) 97-89 in Heart of America Athletic Conference action Wednesday.
With the victory, #9 William Penn (20-5, 13-4 Heart) eclipsed the 20-win mark for the 13th time in program history and the eighth time in the last 10 campaigns. In Wednesday’s other big Heart game, MidAmerican Nazarene (Kan.) needed overtime, but defeated Peru State (Neb.) to stay in first place with the navy and gold.
The Wildcats (9-16, 5-12 Heart) made it known early that win #20 would not come easy as they hit bomb after bomb, finishing with 11 in the first half (15 for the game). The visitors actually led by 10 at 24-14 with 12:07 to go, but a 19-5 Statesmen run put the hosts back on top. The score would change hands a few more times before the sides left for their respective locker rooms tied at 46-46.
C-SC, which outshot WPU 53.1%-50.7% for the night, tallied the first bucket of the second stanza. The score knotted up on two more occasions, but a pair of free throws by Kevin Smith (Jr., Baltimore, Md., Physical Education) with 16:52 to go gave William Penn the edge for good. It started the team’s 20-5 run that netted the Statesmen their biggest lead of the game at 70-55 with 12:04 on the clock.
Culver-Stockton was more than resilient, though, narrowing the margin to a half dozen three times down the stretch, but the victors answered each threat to finish the season sweep. The two most telling parts of the stat sheet pointed to 1) the Statesmen committing 10 fewer turnovers (8-18, good for a 14-6 mark in points off turnovers) and 2) WPU outrebounding C-SC 39-33 (16-6 in second-chance points).
Five players, including 26 from Steven Roundtree (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla., Physical Education), made it into double figures. Roundtree was 8-for-11 at the charity stripe, helping William Penn to a 20-6 advantage in made free throws. The senior, who was 9-for-15 from the field, also had two steals.
Fellow big man Brady Burford (Sr., Chicago, Ill., Physical Education) was even more effective as he finished 8-for-13 from the floor for 21 points; his 10 rebounds gave him his eighth double-double of the season. Buford matched Roundtree and Charles Knowles (Jr., Chicago, Ill., Physical Education) with a two thefts.
Shane Bosek (Sr., Lowry, Minn., Physical Education) paced the bench with 13 points, while Smith managed 12 in his first start of the year (six assists as well). Jarvis Haywood (Jr., Charlotte, N.C., Business Management) added 10 in the win.
Dondre Alexander (Jr., Iowa City, Iowa, Physical Education) and Jessie Pernell (Sr., North Augusta, S.C., Physical Education) were both unavailable for action (coaches’ decision).
“It is very gratifying to reach 20 wins this season,” Head Coach John Henry said. “This team has overcome a lot of obstacles–some of them self-imposed–but they bounce back well and keep competing.”
Next Up: William Penn travels to Springfield, Mo. Saturday to face Evangel in Heart action at 4 p.m.
