POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – In the first game of the NAIA Division II National Championships for the Davenport men's basketball team, the Panthers faced off against Briar Cliff (Iowa), who received the final at-large bid into the tournament. In the game, Dominez Burnett scored 30 points for the Panthers, and broke the all-time scoring record in Davenport men's basketball program history as he now has 1,908 points in his career, as the Panthers went on to win 68-66. DU will now face either Mount Mercy (Iowa) or Cal Maritime in the second round of the tournament at 10:15 p.m. EDT at the Keeter Gymnasium in Point Lookout, Mo.
 
Burnett's 30 points led all-scorers in the game, and in the process he surpassed 1,900 career points along with breaking the all-time scoring record in program history previously held by JaVontae Ford as he had 1,902 points is his time at Davenport. Bishop Robinson and Kevin Rich chipped in with ten points apiece for the Panthers, as the DU starters combined for 60 of the Panthers 68 points.
 
Out of the gate, both teams were jockeying for position as neither team led by more four point in the first ten minutes of the game. After the Chargers took a 19-15 lead with 9:32 left in the first half, the Panthers countered with a 7-0 run to take a 22-19 lead with 8:15 left in the half after Burnett knocked down a shot from behind the arc. Neither team could pull away in the first half as Briar Cliff took a 35-31 lead into the half. Davenport shot an even 30 percent from the field, while Briar Cliff was able to shoot 40 percent from the floor.
 
The Panthers scored the first seven point of the second half as they took a 38-35 lead with 17:52 left in the second half, but the Panthers were only able to take a five point as they led 45-40 with 15:30 left in regulation. Throughout the game, the score was tied on 12 different occasions and the lead changed hands 15 times. After John McCloud hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 62, Burnett followed it up with a free throw of his own to give DU a 63-62 lead with 2:04 left in the game, and the Panthers held off the Chargers late in the game to hold the lead the remainder of the game to win 68-66.
 
The Panthers now move onto the NAIA DII National Championships Second Round for the second straight season. DU will face either Mount Mercy or Cal Maritime in the final game on Friday night with the opening tip scheduled for 10:15 p.m. EDT in Point Lookout, Mo.
 
Post-Game Notes
In just his third season at Davenport, Dominez Burnett now holds the all-time scoring record in program history as the he now has 1,908, with record previously held by JaVontae Ford with 1,902 at the end of last season… This was the ninth time all season the Panthers have trailed at the half in road or neutral site games and the Panthers are now 5-4 on the season in those games… Davenport is now 8-5 all-time in the NAIA DII National Championships.
 
Men's Basketball Contact: David Gerhart | 616-554-5045 | dgerhart@davenport.edu
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