Box Score OWENSBORO, Kentucky - In a back-and-forth battle between the 2020 Great Midwest Tournament finalists, the Walsh Cavaliers and Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers took it down to the final second to determine a winner. Kaleb Martin nailed a three pointer in the corner with 0.2 seconds left on the clock, putting the Cavaliers up 65-64 over the home team in the season opener.
Score: Walsh 65, Kentucky Wesleyan 64
Location: Owensboro, Kentucky (Owensboro SportsCenter)
Records: Walsh 1-0 (1-0), Kentucky Wesleyan 2-2 (1-2)
The short story: Saturday's game featured 11 lead changes with nine of them in the first half (six in the first four minutes of the game). Kentucky Wesleyan answered a Garrison Keeslar three (12-10 lead) with a 6-0 run for a 16-12 lead with 13:42 left in the half. Walsh responded with a 14-0 run of their own, spanning 4:30 of game time. On the run, Darryl Straughter nailed four three pointers and Caleb Canter added a hook shot as Walsh opened a 26-16 lead with 9:11 left before halftime. The Panthers cut the lead to two before Walsh took a 34-30 lead into halftime. Walsh made it 40-32 in the early going of the second half before Kentucky Wesleyan regained the 53-47 lead on a 21-7 lead with 10:18 to go. The Panthers largest lead of the game was 61-53 with 5:24 left, giving Walsh plenty of time to rally back. The Cavaliers cut the lead to two with a quick 6-0 run in two minutes. Three Panthers free throws pushed the advantage to 64-59 with one minute remaining on the clock. Straughter converted an and-one layup and free throw with 44 seconds left, trimming the lead to 64-62. An offensive foul call gave the Cavaliers the ball back with 17 ticks on the clock. Caleb Canter passed the ball to Martin in the corner, as Martin beat the buzzer for the win.
OPENING TIP
- Darryl Straughter led all scorers with 29 points, his 25th career game of 20 or more points. In a full 40 minute effort, Straughter was nine-of-16 from the floor with five threes and a perfect six-of-six from the free throw line. He added four rebounds and five assists. In the first half alone, Straughter had five triples and 19 points alone.
- Caleb Canter was the only other player in double-figures with 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
- Garrison Keeslar and Luke Howes started for the Cavaliers in their collegiate debuts. Keeslar scored nine points and pulled down five rebounds in 28 minutes. Howes had six points and three steals in 31 minutes of action.
- Martin scored four points in the game, his game-winner and one free throw.
THE DIFFERENCE
- In a game that was quite close in a lot of categories, Walsh made two more shots than KWC (22-20) as both teams took 48 shots total.
- Walsh made seven threes for the game but only one in the second half - Martin's game-winner.
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
- Both teams finished with 27 rebounds, seven offensive and 20 defensive.
- Walsh shot 56.5% (13-23) in the first half but cooled off to 36% (9-25) in the second half. They ended the game with a 45.8% (22-48) field goal percentage, better than the Panthers' 41.7% (20-48).
- Six of the nine players that played Saturday found the scorebook. Nic Smith tallied the only bench points for the Cavs as he scored six points on one field goal and four free throws.
NOTABLE
- This was Walsh's second game-winner in the closing seconds against the Panthers in Owensboro. On 12/13/18, Straughter lifted the Cavaliers to a 61-60 win on a jumper with two seconds left.
NEXT UP
- Walsh will finish the Southern roadtrip with a matchup at Trevecca Nazarene on Monday (Jan. 4) evening. Tipoff against the Trojans is set for 8:15 PM Eastern.
-WC-
