SHAWNEE- The Cavaliers had one of their best all around games of the year so far, as they were victorious over the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (6-10, 1-4 SAC). The game started with a very back and forth first few minutes, with Pablo Bianchi (JR/Jundiai, Brazil) and Malik Barnett (JR/Midwest City, Okla.) scoring early for the Cav's, and Taran Buie scoring early and often for the Drovers. Bianchi scored 8 of his 16 points early in the first half for St. Gregory's (6-6, 2-3 SAC), and Barnett scored all 12 of his points late in the first half. Going into halftime, the Cavaliers led 43-33.
In the second, it was more of the same for Taran Buie, the nations leading scorer (28.31 PPG). He scored 23 of his 37 points in the second half. The Cav's would overcome Buie's hot shooting though, by doing some hot shooting of their own.
The Cavaliers had five players score in double digits on the night, and as a team they shot 54 percent from the field, 50 percent from three point range, and 85 percent from the free throw line. The Cavaliers top scorer on the night was Rodney Smith (SR/Chicago, Ill.), who scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half. Smith gave the Cav's a spark along with the help of Jordan Rutherford (SR/Houston, Texas). Rutherford played an incredible all around game, by coming close to reaching a triple double on the stat sheet. He had 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 19 points, all of which came in the second half. Kilder Gonzalez (JR/Maracaibo, Venezuela) finished very strong at the rim several times on the night, on the way to scoring 17 points. Zachary Lemusu (SR/San Diego, Calif.) scored 8 points for the Cav's. Two of which may have been the loudest ones of the entire night, in Sumner Field House. With two minutes to go in the second half, Gonzalez threw up a contested lob, while falling to the ground, and Lemusu threw down the one-handed alley-oop to put a dagger in the Drovers hope of a late comeback.
This was Buie's eighth game so far this year with over 30 points for USAO, and it was his twelth game with at least 20 points. Imani Edwards added on 16 points, and Brendan Chapman scored 12 points. Julius Foster scored 10 points and collected 9 rebounds for the Drovers. However, USAO was simply over powered by the Cavaliers' team play on the night.
Along with the hot shooting for SGU, they played unselfish basketball by dishing out 22 assists as a team. The bench helped out big, by scoring 39 points for the Cav's, and the team also fought hard to collect 36 rebounds.
The Cavaliers look to keep rolling as they head to Bethany, Okla. to take on Southwestern Christian University on Monday Jan. 16.