Bluejays lose to Southwestern
Tabor men hit 53 percent at foul line in 52-51 loss to 'Builders
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Lay any thoughts aside that the Bluejays loss in Hillsboro Jan. 15 to the Southwestern College Moundbuilders was a fluke.
Southwestern proved if any KCAC team has Tabor's number, it's the Moundbuilders as they pulled off a 52-51 crusher Saturday in Winfield.
Luckily, the Bluejays (12-4 KCAC, 12-14) still stay a game up in league play on Friends and Sterling.
What could have cost Tabor a loss two nights earlier against Ottawa finally did against the Builders (9-7 KCAC, 14-12) — free throw shooting.
While hitting 8 for 15 at the foul line might be enough to win plenty of games, it's not enough to get the job done in one decided by a point.
It's hard not to forget the Bluejays' looking like a team offensively challenged when they face Southwestern, or Tabor's ranking second to last in KCAC free throw shooting, averaging 64 percent.
Scoring a game-high 23 points amidst carrying Tabor on his shoulders for the second of three games, not even Tyson Ratzlaff could carry the burden this time.
Besides Ratzlaff, Tabor drew a zero on how or who to rev up the offense, much less getting shots to fall.
After the Bluejays jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first 2:06 of the game, SW caught up at 15, using a 5-0 run barely under 9:00 left in the first half.
The Builders tied the game once more at 17 before Tabor outscored them 10-4 in the closing 5:00.
Holding SW to a frigid 29 percent from the floor while hitting 38 percent, the Bluejays only had a 24-19 lead at the break.
The Builders were right on the Bluejays' tail after the break, cutting the lead to 24-23 after a basket by Wendell Riley.
One more 5-0 surge for SW, and the Builders led for the second time, 28-27, just over 3:00 into the second half.
The 5-0 run would lead to a 7-0 run, and SW's edge inflated to 38-29 with 14:03 to go.
Tabor tied the Builders four more times, regaining the lead twice in the final 9:24, on a respective three by Ratzlaff and a basket from Cody Schafer.
Schafer's field goal with 2:12 to go marked the final one the Bluejays could get to fall.
Only Jeremiah Randall could finish at the line and that came with 6:38 left, trimming SW's lead to 48-47.
With 54 ticks remaining, Rico Marquez sank two free throws that drove the dagger straight through Tabor's heart.
The Bluejays face a test tonight on the road traveling to Leavenworth to take on St. Mary's.
On Saturday, Tabor wraps up its home portion and regular season schedule in a 7 p.m meeting against Friends in a game which could decide the conference title.
