MBB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[David Collinge]

Dave just doesn't understand that Capital always looks that way in the first half.   

UT-D has just 4 fouls with 4:08 left in the first; they're in the bonus in Cap's 8 fouls.  The Comets' half-court defensive pressure is giving Cap fits, but the Crusaders still lead 29-26, now 3:00 left.  Stahl's been unstoppable.

[David Collinge]

The stands are still only about half-filled.  Capital is in the somewhat unfamiliar position of having the lead as halftime approaches (30-28, :39.1).  They've trailed at the half in 11 games this season, including both tournament games.  They're 10-1 in those games, so maybe they should let UT-D score here.    UT-D doesn't cooperate, though, as they've gone cold and are down to 32% shooting.  Halftime is here, Cap leads 30-28.

[Ralph Turner]

UTD's Lowery and Rodgers are cold from the outside.  Eppink is 0-5 inside.

The 12-6 lead in turnovers are keeping UTD in the game.

[David Collinge]

Capital came out hot from the half, like usual, but a near tie-up at mid court with Ryan Wood on the floor and Nate Stahl vainly trying to call time out resulted in a turnover and then an intentional foul, and UT-D took control at that point.  They moved out to a 41-37 lead, but then Stahl (now with 24) answered with another 3.  Cap now has the ball, down 1, 16:15 left.

[Ralph Turner]

This is starting to sound like the Trinity game.  UTD just found another gear in that game, and just pulled away.

Stahl 3FG!  Stahl has 24 points of the team's 40 points.  He broke that Comet effort to break away from Capital.

(Great minds!)

[David Collinge]

UT-D gets a hand on every Cap pass, and they've turned several of them into un-Princeton-like fast break layups.  Another just happened; UT-D by 3, 15:31 left.

[Ralph Turner]

UTD is ready to explode!  UTD 47-42 12:55 left. (Capital Timeout)

Capital has 16 turnovers.

UTD is missing too many "bunnies" (according to Chris Condit.)

[David Collinge]

Dallas now has 10 steals.  I've lost count of their points in transition (okay, so I'm not counting; I wish this stupid version of LiveStats that JCU uses would tell me that), but it's the Comets that look like the up-tempo team, not the Crusaders.  47-44 UTD 12:20 left.

[Ralph Turner]

I think that UTD plays so much control basketball in the ASC, because that is the "off-style" in that conference.

They don't run as well as the "running" ASC teams, but they may be a better running team than an OAC "running" team.

The other thing about UTD is that Coach Butterfield is able to get very smart players who can play both styles, but know how to play the "off-style" against respective foes.

They cannot let Capital get back into this game at this time.  They have had the Capital fans out of the game to this point.  Capital has an 8-0 run.

[David Collinge]

Back-to-back threes by Niekamp and Wood bring Cap back to within 1, 53-52, 8:52.  The gym is filling up, and the Cap students are quite loud up in the rafters of this tiny gym.

[David Collinge]

Wood looks confident with his shot from the corner, and he puts Cap on top by 3 from there.

[David Collinge]

Back and forth; Dallas now up one when Rodgers hits two FTs after DJ Frazier picks up his 4th foul.  In the time it took me to type that, Stahl hit another three, then Eppink made a layup and drew a foul from Stahl, but missed the conversion.  Tied at 59, 5:53 left.  Great game.

[Ralph Turner]

Capital fans have stepped up the noise!

Stahl has 27!    Tied at 59 after Eppink's goal.  He misses the "and one". 5:54 left.

[David Collinge]

Frazier re-enters the game with 4:34 left, in response to Dallas taking control of the flow.  64-59 UTD.

[Ralph Turner]

UTD's Temaine Wright just got his 4th foul.  Wright is my favorite player for the Comets.  Losing him might hurt most.