If one game is good, two games are better, and with a powerful comeback the USD men’s basketball team claimed road two games this past week, dominating conference opponent Houston Baptist and edging out the University of Texas-Pan American.
Thursday, the Coyotes traveled to Houston Baptist, where senior Roman Gentry and freshman Jake Thomas combined for a joint total of 41 points, knocking through the Houston Baptist defense and taking their third Great West Conference win. The final score was 92-70, reflecting the offensive strength the Coyotes showed all game.
‘They were hard places to play, and against two real athletic teams. That first night I thought we played really well, did good on the offensive end,’ Head Coach Dave Boots said. ‘But it was a good win to go into there in a small gym, nice atmosphere, they were really into it and I think our guys did a super job.’
Senior Roman Gentry said the team was trying to keep it rolling for the conference games.
‘I just came in, tried to be focused, do what I could for the team,’ Gentry said.
During the game, the Coyotes shot 52 percent from the field and matched it perfectly with 52 percent from beyond the three point arch, and combined solid defensive plays as well, holding HBU to 29 percent in the second half.
Houston Baptist started well, building a 12-5 lead early in the first half, but following a Thomas three the Coyotes began to hit their stride, going on a 14-2 run.
Following that 20-point victory the Coyotes went to Edinburg, Texas, where things nearly went in reverse against the Coyotes against Texas Pan-Am.
Texas Pan-Am outplayed the Coyote defense but USD held in there, testing out various defensive actions to hold their scorers in check and give USD a chance at victory.
Boots said that the team needed to find its defensive rhythm in the first half of the game, after giving up almost fifty points to UTPA, but did so, and held them back to just 20 in the second.
‘The next game I don’t think we played so well the first half but Pan American did play well,’ Boots said. ‘At half time we went to a different defense and finally the second half we got into one that worked and held them to only twenty points.’
Junior guard Kendall Cutler said Boots had spoken with them at half time, saying that they knew what they had to do and afterwards they went out there and did it.
‘We’d given up turnovers, been rushing things, and we knew we had to turn it around,’ Cutler said.
With only a minute remaining Cutler said Boots sent him onto the court and asked him to make it happen. He did not quite make things happen, but he did get inside and miss a layup. At that point, with 4.7 seconds left, Gentry stepped it up and dropped the ball in to put the Coyotes up 72-71.
‘I kind of had to go all out that last play, that was it for the game. I knew Kendall was going to take it to the rim so I went in for the rebound. I was fortunate and got it,’ Gentry said.
Boots said such performances don’t always happen.
‘You don’t always win those when you get so far behind,’ Boots said. ‘You have to waste so much energy just to get even and then usually you end u p losing those at the end but we got a good offensive put back and we defended the last four and a half seconds.’
Texas Pan-Am then missed their final shot of the game, and lost to the Coyotes by a single point.
The next game, against Southern Illinois Edwardsville, will not be a conference game as the last few have been, but the coaches and players still say it should turn into a good match-up. The Coyotes took them on at home and now will face them on the road.
Its still going to be a real good game, we beat them here by a large margin but they will look to make their point against us at home so we got to play them hard and get the victory.’
Boots agreed, saying the team has been working to make an impact in every game they play, but especially those in the Great West.
‘Every game has been a battle and when you only have twelve in the conference every game counts,’ Boots said. ‘We’ll be taking on Southern Illinois next but then next Thursday we just right back into the fire again. The schedule is kinda goofy in that you have so many games on the road and then you come back home, it’s not very balanced.’
The Coyotes face SIU-Edwardsville Feb. 5 at 7 p.m.
Reach reporter Sarah Paulus at Sarah.Paulus@usd.edu.
