Dixie State College: Rebels defeat Grand Canyon University again (01/12/08)
This entry was posted on 1/14/2008 7:22 AM and is filed under Boys Basketball News, Boys Youth Basketball.
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| Rebels defeat Grand Canyon University again (01/12/08) |
ST. GEORGE With its top two scorers in foul trouble most of the night, Dixie State needed some scoring punch from elsewhere.
Troy Randall and Ben Hartman provided it in a 69-61 Pacific West Conference win over Grand Canyon in Burns Arena on Saturday night.
Randall scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Rebels (2-3, 5-9) to the victory. Hartman added 16 points and four rebounds.
Dixie State opened the game with a 28-9 run, building that lead on Hartman's 3-pointer with 8:25 remaining in the first half. Grand Canyon (3-2, 8-4) closed within 33-26 at halftime. Audray Glenn had six points in an 11-0 Antelopes run.
"We approached the game as if we lost (on Friday)," said Randall. "Now it's payback time. It was transition defense. It was talking. Then we were trading 3-for-2 and they started getting back into it.
"At halftime we emphasized defense, defense, defense," Randall said. "And free throws were huge tonight."
Grand Canyon got within 53-51 on Rudy Bogan's 3-pointer with 5:22 left in the game. Randall and Hartman both hit a pair of free throws over the next minute to push the Antelopes away. Dan Stock's 6-foot jumper and Kasey Winters' slam with 2:37 remaining gave the Rebels some breathing room. They finished the game by hitting 
f-11 free throws as Randall and Ryan Sanchez each had three.
"Coach Juddy said even though it got close he could see in our eyes we were going to win. We had confidence and there was no panic," Randall said.
"Troy and Ben sparked us big time," Dixie State coach Jon Judkins said. "I thought Troy played one of his best games. And Ben gave us a lot of energy.
"Our energy was good this week. We've got to play together and hustle. When we do that, we can beat anybody."
