Stephen F. Austin
NW Oklahoma State
`Jacks Hold Off Rangers
11/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 9, 2009
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NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks took advantage of 24 Northwestern Oklahoma State turnovers Monday to take a 67-58 win over the Rangers in the 2009-10 exhibition opener.
SFA outscored Northwestern, 23-15, in points off turnovers to hold off the Rangers on a night when the Lumberjacks were bested in both shooting percentage and rebounding. Northwestern shot 40.8 percent from the floor to 39.3 percent for the `Jacks and finished with a 40-35 edge on the boards.
But the Rangers committed 12 turnovers in each half, while SFA coughed it up just 14 times for the game, which proved to be the difference for the `Jacks. Junior guard Eddie Williams scored 13 points to lead SFA, followed by 12 points off the bench by junior transfer Mark Gomillia.
The Lumberjack front line got out to a slow start, as power forward Jordan Glynn combined with center Jereal Scott - both in their first season as starters - for just five points and no rebounds. The duo played just six and seven minutes, respectively, after picking up early fouls.
Northwestern took advantage and pushed its lead to as many as seven points (14-7 with 13:34 to play). But junior forward Orren Tims came off the bench for nine first-half points, including a 3-pointer with 30 seconds to play that sent SFA to the locker room with a four-point lead.
Glynn and Scott each scored six points after halftime, and Glynn pulled down six rebounds to tie with senior point guard Eric Bell for the team lead. Bell added seven points and six assists with a game-best four steals in 38 minutes of action.
After watching Northwestern flirt with retaking the lead for much of the second half, SFA put up a quick 6-0 run late to stretch its advantage to 10 (65-55), the largest of the night. Gomillia put in two free throws and a long jumper from the corner during the stretch, and Glynn added a tip-in at the 1:26 mark to make it a 10-point game.
Scott finished with nine points to tie Tims' effort, Glynn had eight, and senior guard Walt Harris scored seven points. Williams added two steals and three assists to go along with his 4-of-8 shooting performance.
Marshall Bell scored 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range to lead the Rangers.
SFA will open the regular season on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, when the Lumberjacks travel to Minneapolis, Minn., to take on Minnesota. The game is set for a 7 p.m. tip.
-- SFA --
