March 11, 2010

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Davenport was unable to hold onto a 10 point halftime lead as they fell 74-69 to #14 Eastern Oregon in the NAIA D2 National Tournament. The Panthers end their season at 23-10 overall after making their first trip to Branson in program history.

The game could not have started out any better for the #19 ranked Panthers as they scored the first six points from Mario Scott (Grand Rapids, Mich.), James Nelson (New Haven, Mich.) and Gabe VanderJagt (Rockford, Mich.).

After the Mountaineers scored nine of the next 12 points to tie the game, the two teams then began trading baskets for the next 12 minutes. James Nelson continued his hot shooting throughout the first half as the sophomore made three early long balls to help Davenport.

With 3:01 remaining in the first, Eastern Oregon cut the DU lead to just three at 30-27, but on the next three possessions, Nelson hit three shots from behind the arc to put Davenport up 39-27 and the Panthers led by 10 (39-29) at halftime.

After the Mountaineers opened the second half by cutting the lead to just two, DU hung tough and actually increased the margin back to seven (54-47) on a thundering alley-oop dunk from Darryl Nobles (Detroit, Mich.).

Unfortunately that would be the last field goal in over 6:00 of game clock for the Panthers as Eastern Oregon started to chip away and they eventually took the lead with 9:00 remaining.

After Gabe VanderJagt hit three of four foul shots on consecutive possessions to tie the game at 59, the Mountaineers rattled off four straight to take a 63-59 lead. DU was resilient though as they got back to back baskets from Nelson and Lorenzo Ecford (Chicago, Ill.) to tie the game once again.

A huge three pointer on the next possession from Eastern Oregon proved costly for DU as they were unable to crawl any closer than three for the remainder of the game eventually falling 74-69.

Free throw shooting down the stretch hurt the Panthers as they finished just 14/22 from the line (63%). DU was also doomed by 14 offensive rebounds from the counterparts.

James Nelson scored a game high 27 points for the Panthers as the red-shirt sophomore hit nine of 18 shots from the field including 6 of 11 from behind the arc. Gabe VanderJagt chipped in with 12 points and Lorenzo Ecford posted 11.

DU ends their season at 23-10 overall and will lose only two seniors to graduation for the next season.