TC Basketball teams sweep St. Mary

Written by Andrew Ottoson Thursday, 07 December 2006 18:00

The TC men found two things in Leavenworth: Eric Weinbrenner open for three and a way to win despite a late lead change that nearly rocked the boat; the TC women kept right on rolling. On Thursday, the Tabor basketball teams traveled to Leavenworth, where they met the University of St. Mary Spires.

The women's team scored 41 in the first half on the way to a 77 point effort at the offensive end and allowed USM only 41 in the game.

The Spires shot only 14-of-47 from the floor and went 0-for-12 from the three point line.

Nicole Ellis (10), Andrea Robinson (13), Chelsea Malone (15) and Emily Vogts (18) finished in double-figures. Vogts also grabbed 11 rebounds in a double-double effort.

Janae Garcia led the Spires with 12 points and eight rebounds
Ashley Fraser hit a free throw to give USM a five point lead, but Tabor went on a 6-2 run to take the lead that mushroomed into 33-10 outburst that put TC up by 22 going into halftime.

The win ran the the Bluejays win streak to nine games.

The Tabor men had a tougher contest; the Spires looked to have improved to 1-1 in the KCAC on the season when Steven Morgan and Laquinton Ballenger scored four straight points to give USM a two point lead with time running out.

But Eric Weinbrenner nailed a three and TC came away with a 74-73 victory.

Tyler Weinbrenner led the team in scoring with 21, followed by Greg Munroe (16) and Mike Willis (11).

Tremaine Dalton (21), Morgan (16) and C.J. Zimmerlink (11) matched the TC top three stride for stride.

But Tabor's fourth leading scorer, wearing number 44, outscored USM's fourth starter, who also wears 44.

Mike Stoeker had nine points and Paul Payton had eight points for their respective teams.

Stoeker scored the first points of the game and put the Bluejays up 2-0, but the game tipped back toward the home team midway through the first half.

When Dalton hit a two to give USM a five point lead, its largest of the night, Tyler Weinbrenner answered with a three that sparked an 18-4 run that put TC up 32-23 with a little over five minutes to play in the half.

USM then rallied back, but Tabor led by three at the break, 39-36.

The Bluejays took a seven point lead in the final five minutes of the second half, and the Spires tied the game at 71 before taking their last lead.

But after the late 4-0 run transformed a 71-69 TC lead into a 73-71 deficit, Eric Weinbrenner played the hero and finished with eight.

The winning three was part of an 8-for-15 shooting performance that the team fired from beyond the arc (53%); on the night, TC went 30-for-56 (54%) from the floor.

The men improved to 2-1 in conference play so far this year.