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BULLDOGS STAY PERFECT AS THEY KNOCK OFF LEES-MCRAE 81-72

Saturday, November 8, 2008

There's no "I" in basketball.

That's what the University of Minnesota Duluth men's basketball team focused on Saturday evening as they used a complete team effort in rolling past Lees-McRae College (N.C.) 81-72 in the second round of the Division II Disney East Coast Tip-Off Classic.

The Bulldogs (2-0), had six players score in double figures in the win, as they shot the lights-out, tallying higher percentages from the field, outside the arc and from the charity stripe than the Bobcats (0-2).

UMD also drubbed Less-McRae on the glass, as they out-rebounded the Bobcats 35 to 27, while the Bulldogs racked up 52 percent shooting from the floor, a solid 46 percent from downtown and 75 percent from the line.

Though the score indicates that UMD won the match, it was a lot closer than the nine-point margin indicates, as Lees-McRae had the game in hand nearly the entire first half.

However, the Bulldogs used a 29-10 run during the end of the first half and beginning of the second to burry the Bobcats, who could only trim the lead down to five for the rest of the game.

UMD was led by one of their newcomers in junior forward Ron White, who logged 37 of 40 minutes, while leading the Bulldogs in points, rebounds and assists. In the win, the Chicago, Ill. native piled up 14 points, eight boards and eight helpers.

One of the major players in the UMD's impressive run, was junior forward Brian Sykora, who scored 10 of his 13 points in the first half, while also grabbing five rebounds on the evening.

Senior center John Vaudreuil, who sank the game-winner last night, shot 50 percent from the floor tonight, in collecting 12 points and four rebounds, while junior point guard Jordan Schade went 3-of-5 from three-point land, scoring 11 points and adding four assists.

The fun didn't stop there, as senior guard Steve Klass poured on 12 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 2-of-4 from outside the arc, while junior forward Steve Duncan marked 10 points off the bench, including a perfect evening from the free-throw line.

With the win, the Bulldogs now move onto the title match on Sunday afternoon at 6:30 p.m. (CST), as they are set to clash with one of the top Division II programs in the country; currently undefeated and fourth-ranked Florida Southern College (2-0).

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