Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CEDAR CITY -- Southern Utah's men's basketball team will get crack at getting above .500 this weekend.
The Thunderbirds (10-10, 5-5 Summit League) split home matchups last week against Oakland and Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne to remain at the .500 mark, but SUU also picked up its first home conference win of the season Saturday after beating IPFW.
"I think there a lot (of momentum right now)," T-Bird guard Damon Heuir said. "We were about due for some luck and I think that's what the (IPFW game) was. I think we're all feeling really good because of that game and I hope we can keep (momentum) on our side."
SUU barely survived the victory over the Mastodons Saturday.
We were about due for some luck and I think that's what the (IPFW game) was. I think we're all feeling really good because of that game and I hope we can keep (momentum) on our side.
–Damon Heuir
The T-Birds, which actually led the entire second half and majority of the game, found themselves up two points when IPFW guard Frank Gaines drove into the lane and put up a shot that appeared to go in, but somehow rimmed around the hoop and out.
"Hopefully we can play with the same energy and intensity in (the IPFW) game last week — even though we didn't shoot the ball as well as we can," Head Coach Roger Reid said. "I liked their energy and how they found a way to win. If they can do that and build on that — and start shooting the ball well, it's going to be tough to beat us."
Despite the win and an overall competitive weekend, SUU also shot uncharacteristically poor from the floor in both games.
The T-Birds entered the weekend in a tie for 10th best in the country in field goal percentage, but slipped to No. 23 after going 41-111 (37 percent) from the floor in the two games.
Despite back-to-back poor shooting game, Heuir pointed to SUU's defense, which forced IPFW to 31 percent shooting on Saturday and said the team was just going on a dry spell, which he said would be corrected if the team continued doing what it already does.
"We're going to try to do the similar things we've been doing and just hope the ball is going to go in," he said.
SUU will remain at home to take on Missouri-Kansas City and South Dakota this weekend; the T-Birds swept a road series at both schools on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30.
"These are two teams we played well at on the road," Heuir said. "We'll look at the tapes and try to shoot the same way we did, and come out and hopefully win again."
First on the docket will be UMKC.
The Kangaroos (9-13, 3-7 Summit League) are on a two-game winning streak and have played considerably better since the return of forward Trinity Hall, who missed the game against SUU in December.
Forwards Matt Massey and Ramell Taylor combined for 40 points and the T-Birds outrebounded UMKC 35-14 in the game, which occurred during the Kangaroos' eight-game skid.
Despite the 91-77 victory at Kansas City, Reid said many changes have been made for both teams.
"What you did before means nothing," he said. "You can't get overconfident because you beat them or you can't get too dejected because you lost to a team. All I know is you have to be your best and we try to be consistent in what we do. When you cross onto the court, I don't care who you play, you have to be ready."
UMKC shot 13-of-21 from downtown in a victory over Western Illinois last week, including Chamberlain, who went 7-of- 10 from long distance, and Kirk Korver — brother of former Utah Jazz and current Chicago Bulls guard Kyle Korver — added 18 points in that game and hit three 3-pointers.
Chamberlain leads the Kangaroos with 17 points per game, and scored a game-high 22 points in the December loss to the T-Birds.
SUU will then shift over to an intriguing rematch with USD (7-12, 2-8 Summit League), which the T-Birds defeated 81- 75 in overtime on Dec. 28. SUU outscored the Coyotes 11-5 in that overtime session and forced them to not hit a shot from the field in the five-minute period.
USD is led by guards Charlie Westbrook and Louie Krogman, who have combined to score 32 of the 68 points the Coyotes average per game this season.
Westbrook is also coming off a career-best performance in a win over Indiana Purdue-Indianapolis last week, where Westbrook scored 32 points, dished out six assists, grabbed six rebounds, stole the ball four times and swatted away a pair of Jaguar shots, as USD defeated IUPUI 88-78 in the process.
The performance helped Westbrook claim the most recent Summit League Player of the Week award — the first Coyote to pick up that award for the conference newcomer USD.
We're not just going to try and let .500 be all that we get. We want to get as high as we can and whatnot. But, right now I think we're in a good position — and if we can get two wins, then that would be even better.
–Damon Heuir
In the first matchup between the Coyotes and T-Birds, Westbrook and Krogman combined for 41 points.
Heuir said it's their quickness that separates them from other players in the league.
"I think both of them are very shifty with the ball," Heuir said. "It's going to be a big individual effort to whoever is marking them to step up and taking the pride in stopping them."
Tipoff against the Kangaroos is a slated for 7 p.m. today inside the Centrum Arena, while tipoff against the Coyotes is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
"I think we're happy at the moment, but I think we're always trying to do better and be better," Heuir said. "We're not just going to try and let .500 be all that we get. We want to get as high as we can and whatnot. But, right now I think we're in a good position — and if we can get two wins, then that would be even better."
