Jimmies do enough to get big 102-86 win over Valley City
Dec. 8—JAMESTOWN — Despite struggling on the defensive end, the University of Jamestown did enough on the offensive side to pull away for a 102-86 win against their rivals Valley City State University on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at Harold Newman Arena.
The first half was a sloppy one for both teams as they teams combined to turn the ball over 15 times. The No. 5-ranked Jimmies (9-2) had multiple eight-point leads in the opening half with the Jimmies taking an eight-point lead into the half thanks to a bucket from Camron Ketchum made it 43-35 with eight seconds to go.
"That's what we do," Vikings head coach Ryan Montgomery said. "We run a high-pressure zone on defense and that's basically been our mo all year. We fly around and we try to make you do something you don't like to do. We needed to do a little bit better tonight but overall it was ok."
The Jimmies appeared shot out of a cannon to start the second half as on the opening possession, the Jimmies got a defensive rebound and ran down the floor where Cole Woodford splashed a three to stretch the lead out to 46-35. After another defensive rebound, the Jimmies' Marc Kjos knocked down a three of his own to stretch the lead out to 49-35, drawing a Vikings timeout, only 57 seconds into the second half. Out of the timeout, the Vikings' Joseph Owens hit a layup to cut the deficit to 49-37. That was part of a 51-point output for the Vikings (6-6). It is the second consecutive game that the Jimmies have given up 50 points or more in a half.
After the game, Jimmies head coach Danny Neville challenged his team to improve their effort on the defensive end.
"Being in a stance, care more, have more of a want to attitude, want to get stops," Neville said. "I mean we don't have much time to practice so it's all a want to, all scheme. We're going to talk about defending other teams and doing it the correct way."
After shooting 53% in the first half, the Jimmies improved in the second half to shoot 58% from the field for the game, which forward Reid Gastner attributes to better ball movement in the second half.
"We weren't getting good ball movement and then once we get good ball movement, our shots will go in because we get good rhythm," Jimmies forward Reid Gastner said. "But we were holding onto the ball and letting them control our offense with their zone. We started pass-faking and took it to them and our shots started going in."
The Jimmies are back in action at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, when they go to Mount Marty.
VCSU 84, UJ 102
VCSU: 35 51 — 84
UJ: 43 59 — 102
Points leaders:
VCSU: Joseph Owens 16, Daevonte Munson 14, Tate Hebrink 9
UJ: Mason Walters 34, Cole Woodford 22, Reid Gastner 19
Assists leaders:
VCSU: Cayden Rickard 5, Duke Carey 3, Duoth Gach 1, Hunter Sand 1, Munson 1, Owens 1
UJ: Marc Kjos 7, Woodford 6, Gastner 5
Leading rebounders:
VCSU: Sand 4, Hunter Lyman 4, Edmon Oyet 3, Hebrink 3, Munson 3, Carey 3
UJ: Gastner 9, Walters 8, Kjos 7
