Saturday 29 December 2007

SFU Wilts in Desert Sun (from Scott McLean SFU Sports Info)

Vanguard University (NAIA) 82, Simon Fraser 67 Courtesy of Simon Fraser Sports Information Scottsdale, AZ – A second half collapse by the Simon Fraser University Clan men’s basketball team allowed the Vanguard University Lions to take the Clan’s second exhibition game in Arizona early Saturday morning by a final score of 82-67. SFU will now spend two days practicing in the desert before returning home on January 1, 2008, to begin the second half of the season. “We turned the ball over too many times and it just got away from us today,” said third year point guard Sean Burke (North Vancouver, B.C.) “We can take away more things as a team from these two games then we can individually, we need to play our defensive game and then positives will carry over to the offensive end. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t come away with any victories [on the trip], but we are right back where we were at the start of the year. We can either learn nothing from these games, or through hard work apply what we learned towards the second half of the season.” The lead changed eight times in the first half, however the Lions closed out the half strong to lead by five at the break 38-33. The Clan’s last lead in the first half came on a three-pointer from Jordan Nostedt (Brandon, MB), off a set screen from Nolan Holmes, with just over five minutes remaining (27-24). Vanguard then went on a 10-0 run to lead 34-27, before SFU closed the gap to five at the half. After Dennis Heenan opened the second half with a three-pointer for the Lions, the Clan twice closed the gap to two points (41-39, 43-41), before Vanguard went off on a 24-5 run to take their largest lead of the game 67-46. During that run the Clan managed only one field goal from the floor, a three-pointer from Burke, over a period of seven minutes. Greg Wallis (Victoria, B.C.) led the Clan with a game high 24 points, adding six rebounds, while Burke finished with 14 points before fouling out for the second day in a row. Andrew Ellis led Vanguard with 20 points, shooting 8-for-14 from the field. The Clan shot for the game 50 per cent (21-for-42) from the field, while the Lions shot 31-for-57 (54.4 per cent). Vanguard out rebounded SFU 27-to-23, while SFU committed 20 turnovers. SFU’s next game is on January 8, against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

Courtesy:
Scott McLean, Media Relations Coordinator, Simon Fraser University

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