Coyotes rally from 17-point deficit for 71-63 win over Saint Mary
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

An inspired second half effort from Kansas Wesleyan helped the Coyotes erase a 17-point first half deficit and pull away for a 71-63 win over Saint Mary on Thursday night at Muir Gymnasium.

Senior guard Tony Boone put together a nearly historic performance on the floor tonight. Two games removed from an ankle injury, Boone recorded 11 assists, ten points, nine rebounds and eight steals, narrowly missing a quadruple-double.

The Coyotes never led in the first half. After a Boone bucket tied things up at 4-all with 16:58 to go in the half, Saint Mary went on a 10-2 run to take an eight point lead with 12:07 to go in the half. Eight of the Spires’ points during the run came from center Brian LaTorre.

Winston Frazier would hit back to back threes for Saint Mary to push the Spire lead out to 17, 28-11, with 6:58 left in the first half, capping what had become a 24-7 run for the Spires.

Clay DuBois scored to get the Wesleyan offense back on track, as Romero Hood would score with 18 seconds left in the half to get Wesleyan back within eight at 34-26. Chris Robinson would score just before the half to send the Spires to the locker room leading 36-26.

LaTorre got Saint Mary back up 11 with 18:02 left when the Coyotes made their run. Five straight points from Mychal Henderson got Wesleyan within six with 17:02 left, sparking a 15-4 Coyote run that erased the Spire lead, tying things up at 44-all with 13:50 left.

Wesleyan (13-11, 11-4) extended the run to 18-4 on a three point play from Henderson with 12:54 left giving the Coyotes their first lead of the night at 47-44.

LaTorre and Frazier each score for Saint Mary as the Spires regained a brief 48-47 lead, before the Henderson show continued. Five more points from the junior guard put the Coyotes up four, 52-48, with 11:16 to go.

Eric Hammond gave Wesleyan a five point lead, 55-50, on a free throw with 7:48 to go, but Saint Mary would get as close as one, 56-55 with 6:51 to go on free throws from D’Mario Newton.

Hammond would answer Saint Mary’s run with four straight points to get Wesleyan back up five, sparking a 14-6 Coyote run to put them up ten 69-59 with 1:32 left on a Boone steal and layup.

Henderson capped the scoring with a layup with six seconds left as the Coyotes got the 71-63 win.

Henderson had 23 to lead the way, while Hood added 16 and Boone’s ten saw three Wesleyan players reach double figures as the Coyotes were 29-of-65 from the field for 44.6 percent, including a 17-of-34 (50 percent) effort in the second half. Boone’s nine rebounds led the Coyotes, while Hood added six and Willie McCarty had five off the bench. Boone had 11 of Wesleyan’s 15 assists and eight of its ten steals. The Coyotes committed only nine turnovers, while turning 16 Saint Mary miscues into 22 points.

Saint Mary (3-22, 1-14) was led by LaTorre with 24 points, while Frazier had 11 and Tai Murray added ten. The Spires were 27-of-59 from the field for 45.8 percent. LaTorre also pulled down eight rebounds to lead Saint Mary.

Wesleyan is on the road with a key contest at Sterling on Saturday, before heading to Friends a week from tonight. The Coyotes close the regular season at home on February 23 against Tabor.

-- KWU SI --