The REPORTER
The University boys evened their record at 2-2 with a convincing 68-51 win over Cardinal Ritter Tuesday night at The U Center.
Blake Gray led four Trailblazers in double figures with 14 points. Max McComb had 13 points, including 10 in the first quarter. Robert Russell had 11 and Bryce Gray added 11 points and a team high seven assists.
University never trailed in the contest and took control in the first quarter. Zien Bland opened the scoring for the Blazers before McComb added a three-point play for a 5-0 lead just 56 seconds into the game. The Trailblazers opened up a 10-point lead at 14-4 on a pair of Bryce Gray free throws. University led 20-11 after one.
Ritter closed within six points early in the second quarter before a 9-0 Blazer run restored the lead to double digits at 31-19 and Ritter got no closer than 11 the rest of the game. Russell started the run with a three pointer before Blake Gray finished it with a three pointer and a three-point play.
The Blazers scored twice in the last 30 seconds of the half when Russell had a lay-in off a Blake Gray steal and Cooper Cammack fed McComb for a bucket. University led 38-23 at halftime and cruised home to victory, leading by as many as 22 points.
University had a season-high 41 rebounds, led by 11 from Cammack and seven from Montgomery Holland.
The Blazers took care of the basketball handing out 19 assists while committing only nine turnovers.
University will travel to Anderson Saturday evening to take on Liberty Christian in a key Pioneer Academic Athletic Conference contest.
UNIVERSITY 68, CARDINAL RITTER 51
University FG FT TP PF
Bryce Gray 2-8 6-6 11 1
Zien Bland 3-4 2-2 8 2
Max McComb 5-10 3-5 13 5
Robert Russell 4-12 1-2 11 3
Cooper Cammack 1-1 0-0 2 2
Jackson Bledsoe 0-2 0-0 0 0
Blake Gray 5-8 2-3 14 1
Montgomery Holland 4-6 1-2 9 4
Totals 24-51 15-20 68 18
Score by Quarters
University 20 18 13 17 – 68
Cardinal Ritter 11 12 12 16 – 51
University 3-point shooting (5-15) Bl. Gray 2-3, Russell 2-2, Br. Gray 1-3, McComb 0-4, Holland 0-2, Bland 0-1.
University rebounds (40) Cammack 11, Holland 7, Russell 6, Br. Gray 5, McComb 4, Bland 3, Bledsoe 2, Bl. Gray 2, team 1.