#25 Cincinnati Christian beats Asbury (Ky.) in KIAC MBB Game of the Week

1/31/2016 12:00:00 AM

By Cody Stansell, Asbury sports information.

WILMORE, Ky. – No. 25 Cincinnati Christian University (17-5, 8-2 KIAC) showed why it's the top team in the KIAC Capital Division. Three players for the Eagles combined for over 75 percent of their team's 86 points in today's game against Asbury men's basketball (12-12, 4-6 KIAC).

Nick Seibert scored 25, Kenny Gaynor 22 and D.J. McCommons 21 to lift Cincinnati Christian to an 86-72 win at Asbury in the KIAC Men's Basketball Game of the Week. It avenged the only home loss this year for CCU, a 67-65, overtime loss to Asbury earlier this season.

While three Asbury players also made it to double digits, they struggled to get it going late as they had to battle some very touchy foul calling and needed to start knocking down several three pointers to try to pull themselves back into the contest.

CCU was too far ahead with a 15-point lead with 1:00 minute left, and without enough time or to tie it up, Cincinnati Christian got their redemption today and Asbury is left to find other means to climb up the KIAC ladder.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Will Henderson quietly had a great game as he's had to step up for the past two games. He took at least two charges in the low post up against bigger forwards; he needed to beat the buzzer to hit an impressive jumper that went in off the glass from the free throw line, and just had great effort all around as he led the team in assists with seven. In addition to his assists, he finished with eights points, two rebounds, and three steals.

• Trenton Thompson led the team in points with 16 and added five rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

• Kyle Lamb also had three steals, finished with 12 points, grabbed two rebounds, and recorded three assists.

• Kristian Svendsen knocked down both of his three point attempts; finishing with 10 points and four rebounds.

• CCU's Nick Seibert was dangerous from distance, hitting four three pointers, finishing with the team lead of 25 points. Forward Kenny Gaynor put up 22 points and seven rebounds on 9 of 13 from the floor. Point guard D.J. McCommons added 21 points on 7 of 10 from the floor.

HIGHLIGHTS AND HALF BY HALF ANALYSIS

• The first half was a back and forth battle for the first eight minutes, but Asbury finally got out to a small five point lead with 11:29 left to go when Kristian Morgan drained a three pointer assisted by Lamb. But then Kenny Gaynor and DJ McCommons led their team to a nine point advantage with about six minutes left, 30-21. Then Asbury battled back on 14-10 run to close it to a five point lead going into the half at 40-35.

• A tie game with about 19 minutes left, 40-40, then a three pointer by CCU, gave them an early six point lead. The Eagles then went on an 8-2 run led by Henderson brought them back to a tied game, the seventh of the game, at 50-50 with 14:44 left to go. From there CCU built to six point lead with about nine minutes remaining and Asbury never able to quite reel them back in to contest the lead.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• CCU's top three scorers not only combined for 68 points, but they also combined for a 66 percent shooting performance.

• Assists, blocks, steals, turnovers; AU and CCU were almost completely dead even in these categories, but CCU got the advantage they needed off the glass, grabbing 36 to Asbury's 26 rebounds; however, Tyler Smith can walk away knowing he was the top rebounder of the day with eight.

• Free throws made a significant impact as CCU not only hit 82.8 percent of their attempts, but that also gave them an eight point advantage, hitting 24-of-29 of those shots, while Asbury was only able to connect on 16 of their 23 charity shots.