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CULVER-STOCKTON WILDCAT ATHLETICS

Wildcats Roar Past MNU
Posted: Feb 24, 2013

Wildcats Roar Past MNU

Austin Keaton and Marshawn Norris each scored 24 points as the Culver-Stockton College men's basketball team defeated MidAmerica Nazarene University 101-92 Saturday afternoon in Olathe, Kan.

The victory improves the Wildcats, ranked 25th in the latest NAIA Division national poll, to 22-7 overall and 13-4 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Pioneers, ranked 20th in the NAIA poll, drop to 21-8 overall and 13-4 in the HAAC.

More importantly, the Wildcats now control their own destiny after sweeping the season series from the Pioneers for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

C-SC can earn the HAAC Tournament's second seed and an automatic berth to the NAIA Division I national tournament with a victory over Central Methodist or a MidAmerica Nazarene loss at 10th-ranked Evangel Monday night. The Wildcats haven't qualified for the national tournament since 1959.

The Wildcats led 46-37 at halftime despite shooting 37 percent from the field. However, the Wildcats out-rebounded the hosts 30-16 in the first half and 52-34 for the game. C-SC grabbed 20 offensive rebounds in the contest, turning those extra possessions into 35 second chance points.

In addition to Norris and Keaton, James Johnson also reached the 20-point plateau, finishing with 21 points. Two other players, Jermaine Jones and Mario Gulley, also scored in double figures, ending with 14 and 13 points, respectively. In fact, Jones ended up with a double-double, finishing with a game-high 11 rebounds.

Norris, who has already set a single game record for assists and a single season mark for 3-pointers this season, added another mark to his ledger on Saturday. He recorded five assists in the contest and now has 195 assists this year. That mark breaks the school single season record of 192, set by Dave Wieseman during the 1981-82 season.

The Wildcats close the regular season this Monday, Feb. 25, when they host Central Methodist at Charles Field House. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. Before the game, the seniors, Norris, Keaton and Jim McKee will be honored.