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Cougars excited about 2nd USF MCC Tournament title bid
Mon., March 1, 2004

Odds depends on perspective concerning speculation heading into the 2004 Mid-Central Conference Tournament championship game at Taylor University on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. against the University of Saint Francis.

From the TU perspective, the odds favor the Trojans. It’s just an afterthought for the No. 18 Trojans, a stepping stone to a berth in the NAIA National Championship Tournament starting on March 10 in Branson, MO. The Cougars left TU back in February with taunts of 'overrated' ringing in their ears after the then #23 Trojans beat #17 USF by 18 points.

· TU has won all 14 games it has played at Don F. Odle Gymnasium.

· The Trojans have won in convincing manner forging a lopsided 24.7 average winning margin.

· The Trojans pulled away from a 3-point edge to dominate USF for a 68-50 win on Feb. 10.

· Only 2 teams have managed to finish with a single-digit deficit.

· TU is appearing in its second straight MCC Tournament title contest having lost 53-52 to Huntington in 2003.

· TU has won more than 300 games at Don J. Odle Gym in 27 seasons and is seeking its fourth unbeaten home season.

From the USF perspective, it’s a must-win situation – again.

"It's the most important game I have played in here," junior John Gensic, a Bishop Dwenger graduate, said before practice Monday afternoon. "This has been a goal the last two years for us. We have a lot of juniors on the team that hadn't won a game in the conference tournament until this year. Now we have a chance to make school history."

The No. 23 Cougars (20-14) must win to continue their season. In spite of all the numbers favoring TU, USF coach Jeff Rekeweg is confident in his Cougars.

“We were in a similar situation at Marian and we played with a toughness, an intensity that we coaches have been talking about and emphasizing,” Rekeweg said. “This team was picked sixth in the MCC and we’ve played these last three games like we’re out to prove something.”

Rekeweg will be surprised if two Cougars in particular, Gensic and Chase Holden, don’t play that way. Gensic only managed four points in the 18-point loss at TU including a donut in six 3-point shots. Rekeweg was especially frustrated with Holden’s defense during a 22-point second half by Doug Bell, who finished with 30, and like Gensic, Holden only managed four points.

“I expect to see a more motivated, inspired effort from everybody this time,” Rekeweg said.

“They want to use the clock, keep it a half-court game, run their triangle offense and make something happen in the last 10-12 seconds of each possession,” Rekeweg said.

USF is playing in its second MCC Tournament Championship game. USF lost at Bethel 111-90 in the 1998-99 MCC Tournament title contest.

TU won the first 21 meetings between the two schools from 1967 to 1994, but since USF won its first game against the Trojans in 1995, the series is even at 11-11.

First meeting – 1-17-04

                      Leading scorer       Reb                           Assists
@ USF 74,      Trey Eaton 22        Beiswanger, Craig 4   Beiswanger 5
#8 TU 71          Eric Ford 19          Matt Lattinga 8          Matt Traylor 4

Score by halves:
TU . . . . . .39 33 – 71
USF . . . . .33 41 -- 74

Second meeting -- 2-10-04

                             Leading scorer         Reb                         Assists
@ #23 TU 68,         Doug Bell 30            Bell 12                    Eric Ford 4
#17 USF 50            Trey Eaton 15          Chase Holden 5       3 with 2

Score by halves:
USF . . . . . . 26 24 – 50
TU . . . . . . . .31 37 -- 68

TAYLOR AT HOME 2003-04 -- 14-0

Date           Opponent                            Score     Result
11/14/2003 OSU-Marion                        H 94-52     W
11/15/2003 Trinity International Univ        H 71-51     W
11/18/2003 IU-East                               H 94-30      W
12/12/2003 Indiana Univ Northwest         H 103-54    W
12/13/2003 Cardinal Stritch Univ             H  66-63    W
01/03/2004 Purdue Univ Calumet            H  71-38    W
01/06/2004 Bethel College IN*                H  81-64    W
01/13/2004 Goshen College*                  H  70-39    W
01/20/2004 Indiana Wesleyan Univ*        H  76-59    W
01/24/2004 Huntington College*              H  81-68    W
02/03/2004 Marian College*                    H  69-59    W
02/10/2004 Univ of Saint Francis IN*       H   68-50    W
02/21/2004 Grace College*                    H   72-48    W
02/25/2004 Grace College                     H   68-63    W
                                                  1084 / 77.4 -- 738 / 52.7
Home Avg. Win Margin—24.7
12 -- Double Digit wins at home
64 – Largest winning margin vs. IU-East 11-18-03
49 --                                   vs. IU Northwest 12-12-03
31 – Largest winning margin vs. MCC foe – Goshen 1-13-04
24 --                                                        vs. Grace 2-21-04
10 – Number of times TU has held opponent under 60 at home
Closest Games: 12-13-03 Cardinal Stritch 66-63 (+3)
                           2-25-04 Grace 68-63 (+5)

USF Vs. Ranked Teams 2003-04
Vs. No. 3 -- 0-1
vs. No. 7 -- 1-0
vs. No. 8 -- 1-1
vs. No. 12 -- 0-1
vs. No. 13 -- 2-1
vs. No. 18 -- ????
vs. No. 20 -- 1-0
vs. No. 23 -- 0-1
November
11 @ #13 Cornerstone (MI) L    61-68
 December
 Luxbury Tournament @ HAC
  6  #3 Siena Hts.                               L    89-92
13 #20 @ Indiana Tech                    W   79-70
 January
  6  @ #13 Huntington                      W   85-69
17 #8 Taylor                                      W  74-71
24 @ #12 Marian                             L   77-85
31 #13 Huntington            OT          W  78-77
February
10 @ #23 Taylor                              L  50-68
17 # 8 Marian                                   L  72-82
28  #7 Marian (MCC T. Semfinal)      W  82-71

USF on road Away & Neutral Court – 2003-04

USF Record – 10-12

Lost by under 10 – 7 games

Lost by 5 or less -- 4

11/08/2003    Madonna University              A         80 - 92            L          -12
11/11/2003    Cornerstone University         A         61 - 68            L          -7
11/18/2003    Spring Arbor University        A         75 - 68            W        +7
11/21/2003    IUPUI                                  A         75 - 99            L          -24
11/22/2003    Walsh University                    N         67 - 54            W        +13
11/23/2003    Finlay University                    A         60 - 91            L          -31
11/29/2003    Indiana Univ Southeast         A         81 - 73            W        +8
11/30/2003    Spalding University               A         79 - 76            W        +3
12/13/2003    IN Institute of Technology      A         79 - 70            W        +9
12/19/2003    The Master's College           N         73 - 78            L          -5
12/20/2003    Mount Marty College            N         80 - 87            L          -7
12/21/2003    Barat College                        N         117 - 85          W        +32
12/30/2003    Northern Illinois                      A         53 - 82            L          -29
01/03/2004    Tri-State University               N         98 - 100          L          -2
01/06/2004    Huntington College*              A         85 - 69            W        +16
01/20/2004    Bethel College IN*                 A         79 - 81            L          -2
01/24/2004    Marian College*                    A         77 - 85            L          -8
02/03/2004    Grace College*                     A         74 - 78            L          -4
02/07/2004    Indiana Wesleyan Univ*        A         83 - 66            W        +17
02/10/2004    Taylor University*                  A         50 - 68            L          -18
02/21/2004    Goshen College*                   A         96 - 92            W        +4
02/28/2004    Marian College                      A         82-71             W        +11

 

 
 
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