Dec. 29, 2007

Lutes Fall to Wheaton, 86-71, in Cactus Jam Finale

Scott McDaniels - 21 points, 15 rebounds

Box Score

PHOENIX, Ariz. - Pacific Lutheran rallied from a 19-point halftime deficit but couldn't finish the comeback on Saturday, dropping an 86-71 decision to Wheaton (Mass.) at the Cactus Jam men's basketball tournament.

The Lutes (4-4) were playing their third game in as many days - including a double-overtime win over Ramapo (N.J.) on Friday - while Wheaton (8-1), which missed its tournament opener because of travel problems, was playing for the second time in two days. The Lyons surged to a 41-22 halftime lead as the Lutes turned the ball over 15 times and shot just 27 percent in the opening half.

Despite their weariness, the Lutes played a solid second half, turning the ball over just six times while shooting 50 percent from the field. In addition, PLU used a full-court press in the second half to whittle its deficit to 67-60 with about five minutes to go before the Lyons eventually pulled away for the win. "We just wore out," PLU head coach Steve Dickerson said. "It was a remarkable effort by our kids in the second half considering it was our third game, their second game and the double overtime contest we had yesterday."

Poor free throw shooting hampered the Lutes, who were just 13-of-25 from the charity stripe.

Junior wing Josh Dressler, who on Friday broke the PLU single-game scoring record with 48 points against Ramapo, scored 21 points and finished as the tournament's leading scorer with 94 points in three games. Senior post Scott McDaniels had a big game for PLU with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

PLU had no answer for Wheaton's Anthony Coppola, who made 7-of-8 three-point attempts on the way to a game-high 34 points.

In three games played in a 50-hour period, the Lutes won one game and lost twice in their final preparation for the start of Northwest Conference play on Jan. 4. "It was a good trip. We played some great teams and played four (out of six) really good halves of basketball," Dickerson said. "If we learn from it, we'll be in good shape the rest of the year."

- PLU -