FULLERTON, Calif. - The Ottawa University Arizona men's basketball team fell on Friday evening to the Hope International University Royals by a final of 83-63 in their first game of the 2017 Hope Thanksgiving Classic; hosted by Hope International University in Fullerton, California.
With the loss, the Spirit fall to 2-5 overall on the season. With the victory, the Hope International University Royals; ranked 10th in the NAIA Top 25, improve to 6-1 overall on the year.
"We showed some glimpses of the team that we want to be tonight, but we still have a long ways to go," said OUAZ head men's basketball coach Matt Keeley. "We have to continue to stay together in our pursuit of getting better."
The 10th ranked Royals jumped out to an early lead on Friday and never looked back. In the first 20 minutes of action, Hope International outscored the Spirit 53-35. OUAZ shot 10-for-34 from the field and 4-of-12 from the three-point arc. The Spirit did finish an impressive 11-for-12 from the free-throw line in the first half. The Royals shot an impressive 19-for-36 from the field and finished the half 13-for-15 from the free-throw line. Hope International shot 2-for-6 from beyond the three-point arc and outrebounded the Spirit in the first half 27 to 15.
In the second half, Hope International continued to control the game. The outscored the Spirit 30-28 and shot 12-for-24 from the field. The Spirit only shot 7-for-24 from the field, but did manage to shoot 11-for-16 from the free-throw line in the second half. OUAZ was outrebounded 46-31 in the contest and fell to the Royals 83-63.
In the loss, three players scored in double-figures for the Spirt. OUAZ was led by Desmond Ross (SR/Glendale, AZ), who finished the game with 15 points and seven rebounds.
The Spirit men's basketball team wraps up play in Fullerton tomorrow evening, Saturday November 25th with a 2pm tip-off against The California College of Divinity.
#
About Ottawa University
Founded in 1865, Ottawa University prepares professional and liberal arts graduates for lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment and service to God and humanity within a Christ-inspired community of grace and open inquiry. Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution serving 3,000 students through its residential campuses in Ottawa, Kan., and Surprise, Ariz., and adult campuses in Overland Park, Kan.; Phoenix, Queen Creek and Surprise, Ariz.; Brookfield, Wis.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; as well as online. For more information, visit www.ottawa.edu.
For more information about OUAZ athletics, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/ouaz/athletics. Follow OUAZ athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OUAZSpiritAthletics/ and on Twitter twitter.com/OUAZSpirit.
