SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The University of St. Francis men's basketball team saved its best performance in the Incarnate Word Invitational for last as the nationally 19th ranked Saints battled NCAA Division I foe Bethune-Cookman (Fla.) all of the way before falling in a close one, 74-70, this Sunday (Nov. 24) afternoon in a exhibition tilt at UIW's McDermott Center.
Balanced scoring was a key for USF in the contest as four Saints attained double-figure points, led by forward Lewis Holey (JR/Sydney, Australia)'s 18 points. Guard Cole Micek (SR/Los Angeles, Calif.) along with guards Eric Ting (JR/Taoyuan, Taiwan), and Jorden Thornton (SR/Hoffman Estates, Ill.) all poured in 14 points apiece for USF, which led 37-34 at the half.
Bethune-Cookman received a game-high 22 points apiece from both Cletrell Pope amd Isaiah Bailey in upping their season overall record to 5-2.
USF was outrebounded 41-30 on the day as Holey's six caroms paced the Saints. The Wildcats featured a 17-rebound effort from Cletrell Pope, who notched a double-double (double-digit points and rebounds).
The Saints chalked up 17 assists for the game with Ting dishing out a game-most six helpers and Holey added five assists. Ting also had three of USF's nine steals in the contest.
The exhibition encounter featured seven lead changes and six tied scores with USF boasting its largest lead of 17 points at the first half's 12:50 mark. The Wildcats would post their largest lead of eight points with 3:35 to go in the contest.
The Saints concluded the game shooting 36.1 percent (22-61) from the floor, 34.6 percent (9-26) from behind the three-point line, and 89.5 percent (17-19) at the free throw stripe. BCU would go 26-of-53 for 49.1 percent and was only one-of-11 (9.1%) in three-pointers to go with a 21-of-27 free throw shooting performance for 77.8 percent success rate.
BCU edged out USF 20-19 in points off turnovers and by two points in both bench scoring (19-17) and second-chance points (10-8). The Wildcats recorded a 17-12 points advantage in fast break scoring and controlled the paint area, outscoring the Saints by a 42-18 margin.
Up Next
The Saints are off until next weekend, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, for the 2019 USF Classic at the Sullivan Center in Joliet, Ill. USF will play the East-West Phantoms in Saturday's (Nov. 30) first-round action at 6 p.m. (CT) with the second game to feature Lincoln (Ill.) College versus Dakota Wesleyan at 8 p.m. (CT). The tourney's final-round play gets underway Sunday (Dec. 1) with Dakota Wesleyan going up against the either USF or East-West at 2 p.m. (CT) and Lincoln (Ill.) College squaring off against USF or East-West in a 4 p.m. (CT) tilt.
