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OUAZ Athletics

Kolten Hitt - December 18, 2021
Richard Martinez
66
Montana Western UMW 10-6
77
Winner OUAZ OUAZ 10-4
Montana Western UMW
10-6
66
Final
77
OUAZ OUAZ
10-4
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Montana Western UMW 32 34 66
OUAZ OUAZ 36 41 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

De’laCerda Double-Double Leads Spirit into Break With 77-66 Win

CHANDLER, Ariz. – With the lure of Christmas break lingering after their Saturday night game, the OUAZ men's basketball team finished the job first and defeated Montana Western 77-66 in the final game of the day at the Cactus Classic.

The teams battled through five ties, and seven lead changes in the first 12:34 of the game before OUAZ (10-4) scored eight straight points to open a 29-23 lead with 4:17 to play in the half. The Spirit never relinquished the lead the rest of the night despite Montana Western (10-6) getting within two on multiple occasions.

It was one of those two-point advantages with 17:01 to play in the second half when the Spirit took control of the game. Over a span of 8:32, Josiah De'laCerda and Keshawn Bruner combined for 14 points during a 20-6 run that had the Spirit leading 61-45 with under eight to play.

De'laCerda finished with a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. He hit 11 of 18 shots – including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc – to record his third straight game shooting 60 percent or better.

Behind the stellar shooting of De'laCerda, OUAZ shot 50 percent as a team while racking up 46 points in the paint. The Spirit has now shot 50 percent or better in three straight games, and their 13 of 16 at the foul line was the second consecutive game above 80 percent at the stripe.

OUAZ added a 40-28 rebounding advantage with 11 offensive rebounds resulting in 17 second chance points. They also turned the 14 UMW turnovers into 22 points while picking up 13 assists and six steals.

Bruner finished with 13 points – all in the second half – and four rebounds. Devin Collins added nine points and nine rebounds, with Marcus Williams posting seven points, seven assists, and five rebounds.

Jalen Hodges led three Bulldogs in double figures with 18 points on 9 of 21 shooting. UMW shot 45.6 percent and went 10 of 20 from three as a team.

The Spirit now has 15 days off before returning to action on January 3 at Benedictine Mesa.
 
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