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LeTourneau University Athletics

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LeTourneau University, opens in new tab
Phakhaphum Padmanuja
89
Winner Wheaton (IL) WHEATON 5-0
87
LeTourneau LETU 3-3
Winner
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON
5-0
89
Final
87
LeTourneau LETU
3-3
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Wheaton (IL) WHEATON 41 48 89
LeTourneau LETU 46 41 87

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Contact: Matt Kinney, Sports Information Director, mattkinney@letu.edu

LeTourneau Men's Basketball Falls 89-87 In Clash With Wheaton

LONGVIEW, Texas – Battling through six ties and 12 lead changes, the LeTourneau University men's basketball team would see a 48-point second half from visiting Wheaton College prove to be the difference in an 89-87 defeat at Solheim Arena on Saturday, November 24th.
 
The loss drops LETU to a .500 record of 3-3 overall while the Thunder stayed perfect and improved to 5-0 on the season. 
 
"It's always tough to lose a game and this one is no different" said head coach Dan Miller in a post-game interview. "However, I am so proud of that locker room because we stayed together and fought hard against one of the best teams in the nation." "Early turnovers and missing some open looks were the difference." "We have to focus on ball toughness and bring our field goal percentage up, but I am excited to see the team that we will be in February as we will keep getting better each day."
 
How It Happened:
  • A frenetic pace would be seen from the opening tip, with 13 points scored in the opening 66 seconds of the game as the YellowJackets jumped out to an 8-5 lead thanks in part to back-to-back threes.
  • With LeTourneau doubling up Wheaton 10-5 at the 17:45 mark, the Thunder would use a 6-0 run to claim their first lead since the opening bucket of the game before seeing junior Nate West respond with a fast-break layup to put LETU back up 12-11.
  • First half lead changes would continue with neither team able to open a lead of more than seven as a 7-0 Thunder run gave Wheaton their largest lead of the half at 25-18 with 10:32 left in the first half.
  • Managing to keep within two possessions for the next three minutes of action, LETU would break through with a 9-1 run to claim a one-point lead at 36-35 before seeing Wheaton tie things at 38-38 heading into the final 2:41 of the first period.
  • In the final two-plus minutes, the YellowJackets would score eight of the final 11 points and take their largest lead of the game at 46-39 to hold a 46-41 lead at the break.
  • A three-point shooting contest would break out in the opening minutes of the second half as four of the first six made field goals would come from beyond the arc.
  • After an Aston Francis triple would cut the LETU lead to 52-51 with 16:26 remaining, a two-minute scoring drought would ensue prior to four-straight free throws by the Thunder would put LETU in a 55-52 hole with 13:30 remaining.
  • Wheaton would then grow their lead back out to seven and match LeTourneau basket-for-basket, using another Francis three to go up 72-64 with 6:23 left before seeing West respond with a three of his own just 14 seconds later.
  • Back-to-back layups for LETU would bring the YellowJackets within one as the game would set up to be a tight one down the stretch with free throw shooting looking to determine the outcome.
  • It would be Wheaton who would be the aggressor and manage to go to the line, connecting on 9-of-11 free throws in the final 7:36 to hold off the YellowJackets as West would hit two threes' in the final three seconds which included a 40-foot buzzer beater to settle for the two-point defeat.
 
Key Stats
  • West led the YellowJackets with a career high 33 points while going 7-for-19 from behind the arc, but would be outdueled by Francis who scored a game-high 42 points which included 5 triples.
  • Moore finished with a double-double scoring 20 points and grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds while Seth Mattson added seven points and five rebounds.
  • Wheaton shot 46.0 percent from the field while the YellowJackets managed to hit just 29-of-79 shots (36.7 percent) with 13 of the 29 shots coming as threes.
  • The Thunder used turnovers to their advantage as they scored 20 points off 19 LeTourneau turnovers while allowing just 12 points to LETU off 15 Wheaton turnovers.
 
What's Next?
The YellowJackets will look to bounce back as they hit the road to open American Southwest Conference play in Austin, Texas when they take on Concordia Texas on Thursday, November 29th at 7:30 p.m. CTX will be looking to right the ship, as the Tornadoes will enter Thursday's game with a 1-4 overall record. Concordia's lone win of the season was a 117-90 thrashing of Willamette University on November 16th.
 
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