Henry Collects #300 in 83-64 Road Triumph
William Penn University Athletics
Springfield, Mo.–It seemed like Head Coach John Henry’s milestone was possibly going to have to wait another game, but a lights-out performance in the second half lifted the Statesmen men’s basketball team to an 83-64 Heart of America Athletic Conference victory Saturday.
#7 William Penn (21-5, 14-4 Heart) trailed by three at intermission, but blew out the Crusaders (6-20, 5-13 Heart) by hitting 62.9% of their second-stanza attempts as Coach Henry collected his 300th career win (300-183, .621 winning pct.)–all at his alma mater. The win also keeps WPU in a tie with MidAmerican Nazarene (Kan.) atop the Heart standings.
In a rematch of the heart-breaking 90-89 home loss on January 9, the Statesmen were on a path to being swept in the season series as EU outshot them 51.9%-40.0% prior to the break.
Something obviously clicked in the locker room because WPU turned a 36-33 deficit (it was 38-35 just 1:05 into the second half) into a landslide victory with 20-1 run over a span of 6:28. During that span, the visitors had a streak of six-straight possessions with a score and had four offensive rebounds.
That was all she wrote from there as the margin grew to as much as 22 late in the contest. In the end, the Statesmen held a 52.3%-41.7% shooting edge and, as per the norm, outrebounded their foes handily, 40-28. They also committed one fewer turnover (16-17) and had three more made free throws.
WPU’s utilized a balanced attack with six players scoring at least seven points. Steven Roundtree (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla., Physical Education) and Dondre Alexander (Jr., Iowa City, Iowa, Physical Education) were the top scorers with 16 points each; Roundtree was 8-for-11, while Alexander had three three-pointers.
Brady Burford (Sr., Chicago, Ill., Physical Education) recorded another double-double (his ninth) with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and three steals. Jarvis Haywood (Jr., Charlotte, N.C., Business Management) was a member of the double-digit club as well with 12 points.
Josh Caldwell (Sr., Denver, Colo., Physical Education), with eight points, Charles Knowles (Jr., Chicago, Ill., Physical Education), with seven points and three steals, and Kevin Smith (Jr., Baltimore, Md., Physical Education), with six assists, contributed to the victory as well.
“The second half was some of the best basketball we have played all year,” Henry said. “Being so far from home, I loved how our guys cheered each other on and had so much enthusiasm for each other.”
Henry earned his 100th career win during the 2007-2008 season and his 200th during the 2011-2012 campaign.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Lamoni next Wednesday to face Graceland in Heart action at 7:30 p.m.
