Every coach's dream is to have a solid bench. One good enough to give quality minutes while the starters rest, and sometimes give more than just a lift.
The Kent State Tuscarawas bench shined through at Defiance College on Friday afternoon, but their incredible contribution of 28 points on 11/19 shooting and 10 rebounds did not help produce a win. It did however, put the Eagles in a solid position to have a shot at winning the game.
Three starters however, were limited in production, connecting on just 5/23 from the floor for just 10 points to go along with 10 boards.
The result, a 70-67 loss to the Yellow Jackets and a second straight defeat.
In the opening 20 minutes, KSU Tusc found themselves in a quick hole trailing 7-0 before a Braden Rostad triple got them jump started. That quick start by Defiance was followed by a 6-0 run as the hosts dug a deeper hole for the Eagles at 13-3. A backdoor cut to the hoop for a basket by DeJuan Lawrence trimmed the score to 13-5.
Enter the KSU Tusc bench!
Sparked by two Kyle Shockley baskets along the baseline, a jumper just inside the foul line by James Roundtree and a pair of Arthur Jackson buckets near the lane, the Eagles rung up 11 straight points to propel themselves to a 16-13 lead.
KSU Tusc owned a 25-23 lead and had several opportunities to really put a stamp on their intentions to grab a road victory, but they were whistled for three straight traveling calls which the Yellow Jackets turned into a 30-25 lead.
The two teams battled evenly as Defiance held a slim 35-33 margin going into the break.
Two consecutive triples from the left corner staked the hosts to a 41-35 lead right out of the locker room. The Eagles responded with Rostad converting on a rare four-point play---he was fouled on a successful three-point attempt and made a free throw---Lawrence followed a KSU miss at the rim and London Cobbs made jumper in the lane for a 43-41 KSU Tusc lead.
At the 13:30 mark, Rostad canned another triple and it looked like the lid was boiling off the game and into the Eagles hands leading 54-49. Three empty Golden Eagles possessions turned the burner down and the Jackets chipped back to within 54-53. A backdoor lay in by Jackson on a nice find by Rostad with 9:09 left turned the fire back up again for a 56-53 lead after a 4:30 scoreless stretch by the Eagles.
Three offensive rebounds on a single possession and subsequent Lawrence put-back at the rim gave the Eagles a 62-61 with 5:03 left. It was the final lead of the game for the Eagles, although they did have their chances down the stretch.
A Defiance free throw tied the game 62-62, but Lawrence blocked a shot at point blank range with 3:28 to play to give KSU Tusc another shot at staying on top. It was not to be as the Eagles misfired on an open 10-foot baseline jumper and Defiance drained a triple for a 65-62 lead.
After another Lawrence denial at the rim, the Eagles failed to convert on two straight possessions getting a basket wiped off the board via a charging foul and also missing a wide-open layup. Another Yellow Jackets triple with 1:17 to play put the Eagles at a six-point, 68-62 disadvantage.
An emphatic Lawrence dunk and Jackson jumper in the lane brought the Navy and Gold to within 70-67 with just :11 ticks left in the game.
The Eagles fouled Defiance with :08 left and forced the Jackets to secure the game at the free throw line. The strategy worked and the front end of the bonus was missed and the rebound was collected by the Eagles.
A desperation three-ball was in order to send the game to overtime, but Cobbs shot rimmed off as the buzzer sounded after a good look and a second half that featured four ties and seven lead changes.
The Eagles were led by Lawrence who recorded a double/double with 19 points on 8/10 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds. He also recorded four blocks. Also in double figures were Kyle Shockley with 12 points on 4/9 shooting and 4/4 at the free throw line, Jackson scored 10 points on perfect 5/5 shooting---he also had four caroms---and Rostad added 10 points making 3/5 from behind the three-point arc.
On the afternoon, KSU Tusc shot 46% from the floor making 27/59 action shots. They made good on 10/16 charity tosses (63%), matched Defiance in rebounds with 34, but were limited to just six fast break points.
With a record of 7-4, the Eagles will travel to Buffalo on Friday, January 7th to face Villa Maria College in a 5:30 p.m. start and Bryant & Stratton Buffalo on Saturday, January 8th at 3:00 p.m.
Kyle Shockely looks for an opening against Defiance.
Braden Rostad drives baseline against the Yellow Jackets.
Arthur Jackson scored 10 points vs. Defiance
Photos by Jason Keller