Box Score Box Score | Langley Interview | Ford Interview | Video Highlights
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – JaVontae Ford poured in a game high 21 points to go along with 13 rebounds as the No. 13 Panthers posted a 74-60 win over visiting Siena Heights on Saturday afternoon inside the DU Student Center. Davenport is now 21-4 on the year and 8-3 in league action with a road date set for Wednesday at Concordia where the Panthers will look to avenge one of their four losses.
JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.) posted his second double-double of his freshman season and finished with a career high 13 rebounds to lead Davenport to their third straight win and 21st of the season. Nathan Cox (Flushing, Mich.) finished with 16 points as the senior was 8-12 from the charity stripe and James Humphrey (Fort Wayne, Ind.) posted 10 points and 5 rebounds.
The early going was rough for both teams as there were only two made baskets for the first 5:21 of the ballgame. A three-pointer by the Saints gave them the early lead at 3-2 and they pushed their lead to three at 11-8 with 11:21 to play.
A 6-0 run from DU with three points each from Kale Waaso (South Haven, Mich.) and DeArmond Davis (Indianapolis, Ind.) put the Panthers up 14-11 but the lead would not last as SHU hit back to back shots to lead by one at 15-14 with 7:53 to play in the first. The very next possession saw JaVontae Ford start to heat up and the freshman hit a baseline jumper to put DU out in front where they would remain for the remainder of the game.
Ford's put-back with only 21 seconds to play in the first gave DU a 6-point (31-25) lead heading into the locker room.
Davenport then opened the second half on a 10-5 run to open a 10-point lead and it looked as if they would run away with an easy conference victory, but the Saints continued to fight and cut the lead back down to just four (43-39) with 11:23 on the clock.
Kale Waaso (South Haven, Mich.), Nathan Cox (Flushing, Mich.) and James Humphrey (Fort Wayne, Ind.) then sparked a 7-0 run for Davenport to up the lead back into double-figures and the Panthers would cruise for the remainder of the game eventually winning by 14.
DU's bench outscored the Saints' 20-10 while the Panthers also converted on their second chances with an 8-4 margin on the offensive glass.
All but one Panther who appeared in the game posted at least two points as Davenport finished the day shooting just 43.5% from the field. The home team did manage to hold the Saints to 36% while forcing them into 14 turnovers.
#13 Davenport will travel to Concordia on Wednesday night to take on the Cardinals. The last time the two teams met, CUAA dealt Davenport one of their four losses with a 97-80 win. Game time is set for 7:30pm and will be broadcast on the DAN.
