For the second night in a row, the women's game turned into a full-on
rout?but the Bluejays came out on the right side of the lopsided 87-56
final score against Ecclesia Saturday. Kirsten Watson totaled 18
points, Andrea Robinson scored 15, and 12 different Tabor players
scored at least once. Led by Watson's 8 rebounds, the Bluejays
dominated the boards at both ends of the floor. Tabor also made eight
of 17 3-pointers and finished 33-for-65 from the floor for the contest.
Trailing Benedictine by as much as nine points during the first half, the Tabor College men's basketball team needed a spark. Kyle Kroeker provided, lighting up Tabor's new scoreboards with 11 points in rapid succession. Kroeker was fouled in the act of burying the first of back-to-back 3-pointers, but was unable to complete the 4-point play. The second long bomb in the series brought Tabor within 22-19, and Orson Thomas and Jordan Funk scored four straight foul shots to cut the deficit to a single point. Benedictine carried a 28-25 lead into halftime, but the Bluejays seized control and built a 10-point lead of their own on Mike Rousell's right wing 3-pointer at 15:07. The Ravens rallied and took a 58-57 lead. Rousell re-tied it with a foul shot and Kyle de Blonk gave the Bluejays the lead for good with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
A double-pump layup by Damon Dechant with 3:06 remaining boosted Tabor's advantage to 63-60, which Jared Hett added to with an 11-foot jump shot after a Benedictine time out. A 3-pointer by Geno McNeil brought the Ravens within a single point, but Hett's pair of foul shots with 1:20 proved decisive. Hett scored a tip-drill layup following his own miss made it 70-65 on Tabor's next possession, and the Bluejays finished it off at the free throw line.
Zack Vanselow played like a man possessed in the second half, scoring 13 points in just over eight minutes of action?after being limited to just two points in the first half.
Coming?Tabor restarts conference play Jan. 8 against Saint Mary. The Spires visit Hillsboro at 6 and 8 p.m. The Tabor men travel to Newman for an exhibition contest 7 p.m. Jan. 5.
