Tues., Jan. 19, 2010

  MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- Just like practice, simple as that.

  Austin Leisure fired in the final cushion for eighth-ranked University of Saint Francis in the Cougars' 89-87 win at fourth-ranked Bethel College on Tuesday night. The junior guard just blocked out the 1,000-plus rabid, screaming, frantic partisan crowd and dropped in two free throws with seven seconds to play. Leisure gave USF an 89-86 lead, which proved to be two insurance points.

  Tony Benford was fouled by Qadr Owens with 0.4 seconds on the clock and was awarded three free throws. He shot it too strong off the back of the iron to the dismay of the Bethel crowd while a small but vocal band of Cougar fans, maybe 67 in number, screeched with delight. USF coach Jeff Rekeweg called a full timeout before the second free throw attempt.

  "That first one is the toughest," Rekeweg said later.

  Benford, who led all scorers with 23 points, hit the next free throw trimming the deficit to 89-87. He fired a line drive off the front of the rim which richocheted into the happy arms of USF junior DeJovaun Sawyer-Davis, who wrapped the ball up tight as the final horn signaled the end.

   The Cougars finish the first dash through the Mid-Central College Conference 6-2, 18-4 overall with 12 wins in their last 13 games. BC dropped its second consecutive game and slips to 5-3 in the MCC, tied for third with Spring Arbor, 17-4 overall after suffering its first home loss in 10 games. BC lost at unranked Taylor University 79-73.

  "I knew I had to make two with the way they'd been playin' all game," Leisure said recalling his thoughts at the time. "Benford hit that three to get them within one. I just stepped up to the line the way I do every day in practice, same routine. You can't think about all the distractions. It's a great win."

  "When we made mistakes, nobody put their head down, we kept playin' and made the next play," Rekeweg affirmed. "Even in the last two minutes. There's not a tougher atmosphere than at Bethel with the way they play, the intensity and how well they are coached, to pull off a win when they make that kind of run. If Austin doesn't make those, it probably doesn't go our way. I was pleased the way overcame the adversity at the end and when the game could go either way, we came up with loose balls. If we didn't finish a shot, we got the rebound and scored.

  "And I can't help but think that our fans behind our bench helped make a difference. We had a lot of great fan suport especially considering this isn't the easiest trip we have in conference play."

   DeJovaun Sawyer-Davis, who led USF with 20 points including 13 in the second half, said the whole team was inspired by the determined play of a freshman.

  "Joey Kosiarek made some plays down the stretch that got all of us fired up and we fed off of Joey's play tonight," Sawyer-Davis said.

  Kosiarek finished with 19 points, 14 in the second half including a 3-point play that brought USF fans to their feet like they'd sat on a Whoopee cushion. That play gave USF an 82-73 lead with 4:02 to play, valuable points to trip up the Pilots' desparate comeback bid.

  "Huge play at the time after Bethel had cut our lead to six," Rekeweg said. "A veteran play, from a freshman. We had a lot of those kind of plays tonight from everybody who played."

   Of course, the Pilots regained their footing and focus and clawed to within a point, 84-83, with 56 seconds left after Landon Booker calmly connected on two free throws. Now it was Sawyer-Davis's turn to deliver.

   He missed a driving attempt on the right side of the basket with plenty of contact, then relentlessly got the rebound on the left side and scored. Sawyer-Davis doesn't show much emotion, but he pumped his fist and clasped hands briefly with teammates celebrating the 86-83 lead with 27 seconds to play. Fame can be fleeting and he missed the free throw, but there was no time to lament.

  "You can't think about it, you just have to play defense and try to make a play," Sawyer-Davis said. "Sure it's disappointing. I was a little more fired up because right before that, (Ryne) Lightfoot got in my face, so we were all more fired up."

  Benford tried to drive a seam on the right side and got up a running jump-hook kind of layup, but in careened to the other side of the basket wher Qadr Owens secured the rebound. He was fouled by Benford with 17 seconds left and Owens hit the second of the double-bonus free throws. Benford nearly lost the ball on the right wing, regained control of the ball and fired up a 24-foot that drew the Pilots within a point, 87-86. USF inbounded the ball to Leisure who was fouled setting up the final drama that played out in favor of the Cougars.

  Owens finished with 17 points and Matt Edmonds 11 to round out the double figure scoring for the Cougars.

  Lightfoot finished with 22 points, 13 in the first half, Wes Laidig 14 before fouling out late in the second half, and Caleb Laidig added 12 points.

  "It feels great to be able to go into an environment like that and pull one out," Edmonds said. "The fans are crazy up there, it's really loud. I think we've grown a lot and especially the younger guys who are experiencing this for the first time."

  Guys like Kosiarek.

  "Game got fast-paced and I just played along with my teammates," Kosiarek explained. "I got a great outlet pass from Q and Austin on a couple fast breaks, got to the free-throw line and just finished my free throws. I got in the flow of the game."

   Just like he used to do at Bishop Dwenger High School.

  "Not quite the same," Kosiarek said with a smile. "This is much tougher. The atmosphere is crazy. Everybody is another level up. It's a lot of fun. I had an open baseline and tried to dunk it, but got the shot in and hit the free throw. I just did what I could to get the basket."

   After an early tie at two, BC took charge on three straight baskets by Ryne Lightfoot for a 9-4 lead. The Pilots opened up a 16-8 lead at 15:10 on a Benford jumper, a 28-20 lead on a second-chance Laidig basket, a 30-22 lead on a Joey Welch shot and a 32-24 advantage at 9:47 on a driving Benford jumper. The Cougars roared to a a 34-32 lead with 7:31, Kevin Dawson capping the 10-0 comeback with two free throws. Brad Sneary muscled inside for a bucket and a 36-34 lead but back-to-back baskets for Caleb Laidig and Benford restored BC's lead. After six ties in the final eight minutes, BC led at the half 43-42.

  After six more ties in the first 11:12 of the second half, Owens buried a pull-up 3-pointer at the 8:34 mark putting USF in front for good, 66-63. Owens ignited a 14-3 run that vaulted the Cougars to a 77-66 bulge with 5;23 to play as Kosiarek finished the surge knocking in a 3-pointer from the corner.

   USF still led 84-75 on a Sawyer-Davis bank shot with 3:02 to play setting up the final drama.

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