Roadrunners Defeat Tennessee Temple, 84-70
Chattanooga, TN – A large contingency of Dalton State basketball fans were on hand Tuesday night at McGilvray Gymnasium on the campus of Tennessee Temple University to see the Roadrunners run the season record to 20-2 with their 84-70 win over the (10-9) Crusaders.
Remarkable free throw shooting, especially in the second half, was a key to the Dalton State win.
The hosts led by three a few times early in the first half, but their final lead of the night was at 15-12 with 11:24 before the break. The largest Roadrunner lead of the half was 11 (30-19) at the 3:25 mark.
The Crusaders went on a 10-2 run and knocked the deficit down to three points (32-29) with 50 seconds left in the half. The Roadrunners scored the final four points before the break to take a 36-29 lead into the locker room.
Dalton State came out of the half on all cylinders to build a 15 point second half lead with 17:39 remaining. Tennessee Temple kept fighting and pulled to within nine before the visitors took their biggest lead of the night at 84-65 with 66 ticks on the clock.
The Crusaders scored the final five points to reduce the final margin to 14.
Earle hit 6-6 from the free throw line, Allen 4-4, and Tate 5-6. As a team, Dalton State hit 84% (21-25) for the night from the charity stripe. The Roadrunners hit 93.75% from the line in the second half (15-16).
"Our foul shooting was fantastic the second half, and we have really been doing lots of things to increase our percentage," said DS Coach
Tony Ingle
Sears (3-6) and Jacobs (3-5) were each also hot from beyond the arc. "I felt like our team showed tremendous focus on both ends of the court," Ingle said. "It was the first two halves we have put together without too much slippage."
"I am proud of our composure tonight," added Ingle. "That is largely due to the leadership of
Sean Tate. He is so quick and smooth he sometimes reminds me of a squirrel playing on roller skates. DJ (Jacobs) and Preston hit some big baskets in the second half."
Ricky Sears led Roadrunner scorers with 16 points.
Sean Tate scored 14 and dished off six assists. Demetrice Jacobs and
Preston Earle scored 13. Tyrel Edwards scored eight, and
LaDaris Green and
Erich Allen each added seven.
Anthony Hilliard scored six.
"LaDaris was sensational at the defensive end and by alternating shots and rebounding we are a better team with him in the game," Ingle added.
Green pulled down 14 Roadrunner rebounds, but as a team the Crusaders had a slight advantage on the boards – 37-35.
Tennessee Temple's Elliot Johnson had a game high 18 points and Weedlens Beauvil scored 14. Hampton Mack and Jordan Brown each added 10. Jarrett Smith had eight points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
Dalton State plays at Reinhardt University in Waleska, GA Saturday. The game will tip-off at 4:00 p.m. in the James and Sis Brown Athletic Center.
Saturday's game will be broadcast on Mix 104.5 FM. Out of town fans can listen through their website. Click their ad at the bottom of our website front page.
The next Dalton State home game will be on Wednesday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. againt Life University of Marietta. Life defeated Point University (GA) Tuesday night, 88-70. Latraius Mosley led Life with 32 points.
Life is currently ranked #1 in NAIA Division I in scoring points. They are averaging 97.7 points per game.
Also Tuesday night, Concordia College of Selma knocked-off Faulkner (AL), 109-96, and Allen (SC) handled Voorhees (SC), 94-79.
