Box Score

Quick Box 1st 2nd OT Final DU 36 49 -- 85 VU 31 31 -- 62 Team Stats DU VU Rebounds 37 23 Assists 20 15 Steals 11 4 Blocks 4 2 FG % 52.7 47.3 3-Pt FG % 50.0 42.9 FT % 78.6 46.2 Leaders DU VU Points    32 - Ford 14 - Lewus Rebounds 6 - 2-tied 5 - Lewus Assists 5 - Gamble 4 - Terba Steals 5 - Gamble 2 - Terba Blocks 2 - McCloud 2 - Lewis

Site: Chicago, Ill. (Shannon Center)
Score: No. 9 Davenport 85, Viterbo 62
Records: DU (11-3) , VU (7-7)
Next DU event: Monday, Dec. 23 – vs. No. 25 Lourdes – 3 p.m.
 
CHICAGO, Ill. – After suffering a tough six-point setback against No. 14 Bellevue on Saturday night, the ninth ranked Panthers came back with an 85-62 win against Viterbo University (Wis.) in the second round of the Midwest Tournament hosted by Saint Xavier (Ill.). Davenport improves to 11-3 on the year and will be back in action on Monday at 3 p.m. EST against WHAC foe and No. 25 ranked Lourdes University in the fifth place game.

JaVontae Ford led all scorers with a career high 32 points as the senior went for 24 points in the second half to help the Panthers rebound from a rare defeat to get into the fifth place game on Monday at 3 p.m. EST against Lourdes. Dominez Burnett matched his season average of 23 points  as DU shot a sizzling 61.5% in the second half.

Davenport fell behind early against the V-Hawks but a 6-0 spurt highlighted by going 4-4 from the foul line gave DU a 12-8 lead and it would be one they would not relinquish for the remainder of the half. The lead grew to as many as seven on a three-pointer from freshman Nick Gamble and DU closed out the half leading 36-31.

The V-Hawks used a little momentum from late in the first half and scored the first six of the second half all on shots from behind the arc to take the lead at 37-36 but it was all Davenport after that as they slowly started to pull away and then used a 13-3 run to lead 57-43 on back to back 3-pointers of their own from JaVontae Ford.

Viterbo did get the margin down to just four at 58-54 but another big run by the Panthers (this time a 21-8 run) put DU up by 17 and they never looked back. The run was highlighted by three thunderous dunks, one from DeArmond Davis and a pair from Ford who posted 24 of his game high 30 points in the second half.

Davenport finished the game shooting 52.7% from the floor while limiting the V-Hakws to 47.2. Other stat leaders for the Panthers were Davis and Burnett with seven rebounds each, Nick Gamble with six assists and five steals.

DU will return to action on Monday when they face WHAC foe Lourdes University at 3 p.m. EST. The game will be aired live on the Davenport Athletics Network.

Post-Game Notes
The meeting with Viterbo was the first ever between the two schools…DU is now 19-5 in regular season tournament play under Coach Burt Paddock…The 32 points from JaVontae Ford is one more than his previous high of 31 which he set as a sophomore…DU can go 7-1 in non-conference play this year with a win on Monday
 
Men's Basketball Contact: Aaron Sagraves | 616-554-5045 | asagraves@davenport.edu
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