Box Score Box Score
LIVONIA, Mich. -
James Humphrey recorded a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds as he led the #19 Panthers to a thrilling 84-77 overtime road win over Madonna University. The win is the first ever for DU against the Crusaders in their gym and lifts them to 16-3 on the year and 3-2 in league action.
Four different Panthers posted double-digit points led by Humphrey's 19.
JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.) posted 16 points which included a 4-8 performance from behind the arc while
Kale Waaso (South Haven, Mich.) and
James Nelson (New Haven, Mich.) chipped in 14 and 10 points respectively.
"At this point in the season, all wins are big, stated DU head coach
Burt Paddock. But for us to have gotten the first win in school history at Madonna, makes it even more special."
#19 Davenport entered Saturday's game having never won in the Acitivites Center on the campus of Madonna in school history and it took an extra five minutes to get that much needed win. In a back and forth first half that saw 15 lead changes and 4 ties, it was a late 11-2 run that gave the host Crusaders an eight points lead at the break at 33-25.
The second half started with a quick push to 10 point deficit for Davenport but the Panthers rallied behind the hot shooting of
JaVontae Ford (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and clutch play of
Kale Waaso (South Haven, Mich.). Ford hit two (of his four) shots from long range during an 8-2 run to bring DU within two at 42-40.
After the Panthers finally tied the score at 47 on a pair of
James Nelson (New Haven, Mich.) free-throws,
Kale Waaso (South Haven, Mich.) took over with five straight points to give DU their first lead since 4:16 of the opening half. Waaso converted an acrobatic three point play and then got a layup on a fastbreak to put #19 Davenport up 52-47.
DU would hold the same margin with 2:44 to play at 66-61 but Madonna fought back to tie the game at 68 with just under 30 seconds on the clock. Three late opportunities from DU were just off the mark and the game headed into overtime.
In their first extra time game of the year, DU responded as well as they could as they scored the first nine points of the extra frame that included a three-pointer by
Lonnie Fairfax (Detroit, Mich.) and a breakaway dunk from
James Humphrey (Fort Wayne, Ind.). The Panthers held on after seeing their lead dwindle down to just three as they eventually won 84-77.
"We are very proud of our team, added Paddock. We got down 10 in the second half and the guys rallied. These types of wins reveal the character that lies within the team.
The challenge of getting back into the WHAC race only gets more difficult for Davenport as they host Northwestern Ohio next week in a double-header with the women's team. DU then will take on GR-rivals Aquinas and Cornerstone in back to back games.
Paddock commented on the upcoming games, saying, "we have a huge challenge ahead of us with UNOH, AQ and CU. It will be very important for us to get these types of efforts from so many different guys."
