Gordy helps LCSC shoot down Thompson Rivers 97-66

12-28-07

Senior forward Mike Gordy (shown left) continued with his hot shooting touch and led four Lewis-Clark State College players in double figures with a game-high 28 points as the Warrior drubbed Thompson Rivers University 97-66 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Friday night at the LCSC Activity Center. 

Gordy, a second-team NAIA All-American last season, hit 10-of-16 shots from the field, including 2-of-2 from the 3-point line, to accumulate his second-highest point total of the season. The 6-foot-5 Denver, Colo., product scored a season high 34 points in a win over Southern Oregon earlier this year. 

Gordy ranks fourth in the NAIA in field goal percentage at 64.6 and his scoring average of 21.8 points ranks among the NAIA’s top 10. 

“I thought he would be this effective,” LCSC coach Tim Walker said of Gordy’s play thus far, even though he’s faced several double teams and sagging zone defenses this season. “We made it a point that he would touch the ball a lot.” 

The win was the second straight of the season for the Warriors, who improve to 8-5 on the season. Thompson Rivers lost for the 15th time in its last 16 games to fall to 3-15 overall. 

Gordy wasn’t the only Warrior with a hot hand. Jonathan Daly (shown left) was 6-of-10 from the field and finished with 14 points, while Rob Comer was 5-of-6 from the field for 13 points. Both Comer and Brian Duckworth were 3-of-4 from the 3-point line, which helped Duckworth also finish in double figures with 10. 

For the game, LCSC was 39-of-60 from the field for 56.5 percent, and 10-of-19 from the 3-point line, for 52.6 percent. 

Thompson Rivers, which is from Kamloops, British Columbia, shot the ball well early and hit nine 3-pointers in the game. But the Wolfpack also committed 30 turnovers and scored only seven points in the final nine minutes of the first half. 

Walker said the thought the Warriors came out a little sluggish on defense and gave up some open looks at the basket. He said the game changed when LCSC became tougher on defense, which enabled the team to go on a 24-7 late in the first half. 

LCSC led by as much as 38 in the second half. 

Matt Pierce, Chris Vanderweide, and Lucian Sauciuc had 11 points apiece for Thompson Rivers, which was playing its first game in nearly four weeks. 

The two teams will meet again on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Activity Center in what will be the final nonconference game of the season for LCSC. The Warriors begin defense of their Frontier Conference title on Jan. 5 in Salt Lake City against Westminster. 

The Warriors did lose another player from the team when Walker announced that senior guard Mikel Watson, a transfer from Utah State, was declared academically ineligible after the fall semester grades were posted. Walker says it is unlikely Watson will rejoin the team.