BEREA, OHIO -- Rudy Kirbus scored 20 points as the John Carroll University men's basketball team defeated Baldwin-Wallace College, 86-71, tonight (Wednesday, February 18, 2009) in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center in University Heights in the 100th meeting of the two cross-town rivals.
With its win, JCU improves to 19-4 overall and remains in first place in the OAC with a 15-2 mark. With its loss, B-W falls to 7-17 overall and 3-14 in the OAC. JCU swept the season series and closed its gap with B-W in the all-time series to 54-46 in favor of the Yellow Jackets.
Media and fans are reminded that tonight's game was taped by S & S Video Productions and will be shown tonight via tape delay by SportsTime Ohio (www.sportstimeohio.com) at 11:00 p.m. and again tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 19 at both 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
In addition to Kirbus for the JCU, sophomore forward Maurice Haynes II chipped in 12 points and junior guard Chris Zajac had 10. B-W was led by senior post Andrew Bene (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) with 19 points and was joined in double figures by sophomore guard Jake Cayton (Magnolia/ Sandy Valley) with 13 and junior forward Paul Glass (Medina/ Senior) with 11.
In the first half, The Blue Steaks jumped out to an 8-0 lead capped off with two free throws by freshman forward Matt Crozier at the 17:02. John Carroll extended its lead to 17-1 when Kirbus knocked down a three-pointer at the 13:19 mark. The Yellow Jackets closed to the gap to 19-7 with 11:49 left in the first half when Cayton sunk his second three-pointer in a row. For the next five plus minutes, the Blue Streaks went on a 21-7 run, finished off by a long three from Kirbus at the 6:45 mark. Baldwin Wallace would only score nine points in the rest of the half, the last basket coming courtesy of freshman guard Promis Cabbil (Elyria/Senior) who made a layup with :13 left. John Carroll led 49-23 at halftime.
In the second half, JCU built its largest lead of the game at 28 points with 17:48 left when junior guard Tyler Kirsch made a jump shot. The Yellow Jackets chipped away at JCU's lead to get as close as 12 points at 83-71 with :58.2 seconds left when Cayton made a lay-up. The comeback was keyed by a 19-point second half byBene.
With the win, John Carroll clinches at least a tie for the OAC regular season title.
B-W returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 21, when it hosts Marietta College in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium of the Lou Higgins Recreation Center at 3:00 p.m. That game is Seniors'Day prior to the game. It also is Take a Kid to the Game Day at B-W. For more information, please go to www.bw.edu.athletics/takeakid09/.
Media and fans are reminded that they can listen to all remaining B-W men's and women's basketball games LIVE on campus radio station WBW, 88.3 FM, and/ or via the WBW Internet web site at www.wBW.com. All home games are on Internet and all away games are both on radio and the Internet.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Head Coach Duane Sheldon, please call 440-826-2115 or e-mail at dsheldon@bw.edu.
