Stephen F. Austin
Cal State Fullerton
`Jacks Nip Fullerton
12/5/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2009
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - One night after going 6-for-6 and scoring a career-high 14 points, Denzel Barnes looked much more human, shooting just 50 percent and finishing with 10 points. But the Stephen F. Austin junior point guard was perfect at the foul stripe, hitting all three opportunities, including the last two with half a second on the clock to seal a 62-61 win over Cal State Fullerton Saturday in the final game of the Etech Lumberjack Classic.
Barnes was named to the all-tournament team for his effort, joining teammate Walt Harris who was voted the tournament's MVP after pouring in a career-high 20 points against the Titans.
The win is the third straight for SFA (5-2) and improves the `Jacks to 8-0 all-time in home, regular-season tournaments, dating to the 1963-64 Stephen F. Austin Tournament. Cal State Fullerton (3-2) dropped both its games in the Classic after entering the weekend as the No. 18 team in the country in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.
Barnes' foul shots followed two clutch free throws at the other end of the floor by Jacques Streeter that gave the Titans a 61-60 lead with four seconds left. SFA had led by four (60-56) with under a minute to play, when Orane Chin banked in a long 3-pointer to draw Fullerton to within a point.
SFA's Jereal Scott got a good look at a mid-range jumper on the ensuing possession, but the shot bounced out, and the Titans pushed it up the floor. Lumberjack senior Eric Bell was called for a blocking foul on a driving Streeter, putting the Titans point guard at the stripe. Barnes then subbed in for Bell and pushed the ball the length of the court, eventually drawing contact on a jumper in the lane against Jer'Vaughn Johnson with less than a second left.
SFA shot just 37.3 percent from the field - the Lumberjacks' lowest percentage in a win this season - but forced 19 Fullerton turnovers and outscored the Titans, 23-19, in points off turnovers. The `Jacks also went 21-for-26 at the foul line, taking advantage of just their second edge in free throw attempts this season. (Fullerton was just 15-of-16).
Harris led the way at the foul line, where he was 6-for-6. Junior forward Jordan Glynn joined in with a perfect 5-for-5 night at the stripe and finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
Jer'Vaughn Johnson scored 13 points to lead Fullerton, and Aaron Thompson, Streeter and Devon Peltier each added 11, marking the first time since SFA's season-opening loss at Minnesota for the opposition to put four players in double digits.
Thompson was named to the all-tournament team, along with Central Arkansas' Chris Poellnitz and Jared Rehmel, and Earnest Jones of Southern.
The Lumberjacks will be back in action Saturday when they travel to Virginia to take on Longwood. The game against the Lancers is scheduled for a 12:30 p.m. start.
Etech Lumberjack Classic Game 3
Central Arkansas 79, Southern 63
Box Score
Southern jumped out to an early lead but could not keep the momentum to hold off Central Arkansas, as the Bears took a 79-63 win Saturday in the Etech Lumberjack Classic.
The Jaguars (0-8) remain winless on the season, while UCA improved to 3-5 with its second straight win in the Classic. The Bears' two wins on the weekend mark their first in Stephen F. Austin's Johnson Coliseum, where UCA was winless in two previous games against the Lumberjacks.
With 6:50 to play the Jaguars only trailed by only six points but couldn't stop the Bears on the offensive end in the final minutes. The Jaguars shot 37.9 percent for the game and were led by freshman forward Tony McGilveary's 17 points. Senior forward Earnest Jones added 15.
UCA shot 55.3 percent for the game and scored 34 of its points in the paint. Junior guard Chris Poellnitz led the Bears in scoring with 21 points. Junior Tadre Shepard joined him in double digits with 18. Junior guard Jared Rehmel also posted 12 points after scoring 18 Friday against Cal State Fullerton.
-- SFA --
