Stephen F. Austin
Texas Wesleyan
Lumberjacks Roll Past Rams
12/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Josh Alexander scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead Stephen F. Austin to a 92-42 win over Texas Wesleyan Saturday night at the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The double-double is Alexander's first of the season and helped the Lumberjacks record a 50-point margin of victory for the first time since defeating Paul Quinn, 101-48, in 2005.
The win improves SFA to 4-2 on the season and 4-0 in home contests. Texas Wesleyan was 5-1 coming into the game but did not register an official loss, since the game counts as an exhibition for the Rams.
SFA opened a 22-point halftime lead at 42-23, after shooting 46.4 percent in the first period, and steadily widened the margin during the second half, when the `Jacks held Texas Wesleyan to 19.2 percent from the field.
The Rams scored just 19 second-half points, the third time this season SFA has held an opponent to fewer than 20 points in a half.
Wesleyan shot 50 percent in the opening period but was hampered by 19 first-half turnovers. The Rams cleaned up their mistakes after halftime, turning the ball over just three times, but they wilted under the SFA defense and were out-rebounded, 26-11, in the second half. For the game, the Lumberjacks held a 44-24 edge in rebounding, their largest of the year.
Alexander led the charge on the boards, as he nearly had his double-double in the first half. He went to the locker room with 16 points and eight rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end. The senior forward now has eight career double-doubles to his credit and 21 games with 20 or more points.
Alexander was joined in double figures scoring by redshirt freshman center Jereal Scott (16), senior center Matt Kingsley (13) and sophomore guard Eddie Williams (11). Scott added six rebounds, giving him career-highs in both scoring and rebounding.
Senior center Benson Akpan added eight points and a career-high eight boards. In all, SFA's three centers combined for 37 points and 16 rebounds on a night when the `Jacks outscored their opposition, 36-12, in the paint. Paced by Alexander's six offensive rebounds, SFA recorded an 18-0 edge in second-chance points.
Junior forward Aaron Smith added six points on 2-of-4 shooting from 3-point range. Williams tied a career-high with four assists and added a pair of steals, while Cameron James dished out three assists in four minutes of action.
The Lumberjacks will return to action next weekend when they open their longest road swing of the season with two games at the Drake Invitational in Des Moines, Iowa. SFA will take on North Dakota State Friday at 5 p.m. The Lumberjacks will follow the weekend's action with two games at the Arkansas Jim Thorpe Classic two weeks from now and won't play another home game until their Jan. 3 meeting with Jarvis Christian.
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