KCAC

[Men's Basketball] Braves hold off Men's Basketball Falcons

Ottawa, Kan. – The Ottawa University Braves made key free throws down the stretch to come away with their eighth straight win, a 75-72 decision over the Friends University Falcons in a KCAC matchup today (Feb. 1) in Ottawa, Kan.The Braves started quick with six of the first seven points in the game and pushed the lead as high as 31-13 at the 7:47 mark.At that stage the Falcons began to climb back, getting three-pointers from Trey Reid (FR/Wichita, Kan. ) and Ian Konek (JR/Long Beach, Calif.) to key a 10-0 run that made it an eight-point game.The Falcons twice came as close as five in the first half before a three by Joe Johnson III gave the Braves a 42-34 lead at the break.Alex Gray (FR), who scored 14 points in the opening half, scored five more in the first three minutes of the second half to help the Falcons score the first nine points out of the locker room and take their first lead of the game.  Following five consecutive points by Ottawa, it was again the Falcons surging with seven straight from Reid that sparked a 9-0 run that gave Friends a five-point lead.The Falcons continued the momentum and was up 58-53 and still held a six-point edge of 66-60 when a three by Johnson III ignited a 15-2 burst for Ottawa that resulted in a 73-68 lead for the Braves with just 58 seconds remaining.After the Falcons failed to score down 73-70, the Braves missed two free throws to give the Falcons another opportunity. The Braves would then foul to prevent the Falcons from attempting a potential tying three-pointer.Drew Patterson (FR/Charlotte, NC) sank both free throws to trim the Ottawa lead to just one, but Johnson III answered with two free throws for the Braves and a last second three by Patterson was off the mark.Gray paced the Falcons (7-18, 6-13 KCAC) with a career-high 25 points along with a team-leading eight rebounds. Reid finished with 22 points, while Patterson and Eastyn Ruffin (FR/Wichita, Kan. ) each led the Falcons with three assists.Johnson III led four Braves in double-figures with 20 points, with Ty Bland chipping in with 15. Andre Jackson scored 11 and Jaquan Daniels added 10 points.  Jackson Mallory led everyone with a game-high six assists for Ottawa (18-8, 14-6 KCAC).The Falcons outshot the Braves both from the field (47.1 percent-41.5 percent) and three-point distance (47.4 percent-41.5 percent) while also holding a 36-32 edge in rebounding. But the Falcons were hurt by 21 turnovers compared to only 11 giveaways by the Braves.Coming up next, the Falcons will host (RV) Southwestern College Saturday night (Feb. 5) at 7 pm inside the Garvey Center.