Score: Keiser 70, Johnson & Wales 63
Records: Keiser (7-10, 3-4 TSC), Johnson & Wales (0-14, 0-7 TSC)
Location: Wildcat Center, North Miami, Fla.
Keiser Starters: Perkins (G), Radulovic (G), Thurston (F), Orlic (F), Matic (F)
Johnson & Wales Starters: Adams (G), Joseph (G), Alcena (G), Vermylen (F), Stephens (F)

Keiser Highlights

• Senior forward Andrija Matic continued his recent tear, flirting with a triple-double on his way to 17 points, 13 rebounds, and a season-high and game-high eight assists. Matic led the Seahawks in all three categories in what was his sixth consecutive double-double.
• Marko Radulovic canned a new career high five three-pointers, going an efficient 5-of-9 from beyond the arc to account for his 15 points. The guard also was able to control six rebounds and hand out four assists.
• Jermar Perkins missed just one shot from the floor in a 6-of-7 shooting performance for 14 points, and the point guard also chipped in with four assists and two steals.
• Marko Orlic was the fourth Seahawk in double-figure scoring, finishing with a line of ten points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

 
Turning Point
The Seahawks turned what was a one-point deficit with 7:42 to play into a nine point lead on the strength of ten unanswered points, bearing down on the defensive end to keep the hosts scoreless over a game-changing stretch of play that spanned over four minutes.
 
How it Happened

• Johnson & Wales hit the game's opening basket, a three-pointer, but the Seahawks proceeded to score ten unanswered to go in front 10-3 with 16:46 on the clock, a run highlighted by back-to-back triples from Perkins and Radulovic.
• Keiser held on to a two or three possession lead until a Wildcat three-pointer drew Johnson & Wales to within three, 16-13. The long ball was the start of a 7-0 run for the hosts as the Wildcats went in front 17-16 with 11:59 to play in the opening half.
• The Seahawks had a strong response however, executing to produce layups on three straight possessions to go back in front 22-17 nearing the midway point of the first half.
• Whenever Johnson & Wales started to make a push to tie it up or even go ahead, the Seahawks began a run of their own. After a made free-throw from the Wildcats made it 29-28 KU, the Seahawks scored seven straight, capped off by another Perkins triple with 2:19 until the half.
• After the Wildcats scored five of the next seven points to make it 38-33, Radulovic converted on his third three-pointer of the first half with just two seconds remaining to put KU ahead 41-33 at the break.
• Johnson & Wales came out firing to start the second half by netting ten of the first 12 points, making it a tied ball game at 43-43 with 17:33 remaining.
• After a Keiser timeout however, Ryan Kroll sunk a three-pointer, starting a 6-0 Seahawk run capped off by a Matic throwdown that made it 49-43.
• The teams exchanged productive offensive trips, and then it was the Wildcats turn to respond, going ahead for the first time in the second half by scoring seven unanswered to make it 52-51 Johnson & Wales with 9:51 on the clock.
• The Wildcat lead remained at one, 54-53 with 7:42 to play.That is when the Seahawks really turned it up on the defensive end however, holding the Wildcats scoreless for over four minutes of play. During that stretch, the Seahawks went in front 63-54 with 3:47 remaining.
• After a Johnson & Wales three-pointer, Perkins had a fast-break layup to make it 65-57, but the Wildcats hit two more triples on back-to-back possessions to cut the KU lead to 65-63 with just 1:39 left.
• None of the five Radulovic three-pointers were as big as his fifth and final one, as the junior took a pass from Orlic and hit nothing but net to make it 68-63 with the clock at 1:09.
• Orlic got a steal on the Wildcats' next possession, but then the Seahawks turned it over and brought JWU to the line with 22 seconds remaining. Both attempts were missed however, and Bryce Thurston hauled in the defensive rebound.
• JWU forced a turnover on the next possession, but the Seahawk defense earned a stop once again as the Wildcats missed a three and Matic corralled the defensive rebound before being fouled with seven seconds left, with KU leading 68-63.
• The senior post player sank both from the free-throw line, and the Seahawks went on for the third Sun Conference victory of the season, 70-63.

 
Inside the Box Score

• Keiser held a key advantage on the interior, outscoring the Wildcats 32-18 in the paint and outrebounding the hosts 35-24.
• The Seahawks were efficient from the floor and knocked in 27-of-52 for a 51.9 percent clip, with eight buckets coming from behind the arc in 18 attempts (44.4 percent).
• KU has been sharing the ball well in the last two outings, following up a season-high 23 assist game against Concordia (Quebec) with 22 more assists in the win over the Wildcats.

Game Notes

• Keiser now leads the all-time series with Johnson & Wales 24-2.
• Matic was able to keep his double-double streak alive, which has now reached six consecutive games.

 
Coach's Corner
"We got the road win and were able to overcome some mistakes that were made due to poor execution," said Head Coach Bob Starkman. "We will have to pick up our defensive intensity in the games ahead, and keep moving forward with 'all the money on the table' so to speak with the remainder of the schedule being Sun Conference games."


Ties: 3
Lead Changes: 7
Largest Lead: Keiser (9), Johnson & Wales (3)
 
Team Leaders
Keiser
Points:  Matic (17)
Rebounds:  Matic (13)
Assists:  Matic (8)
 
Johnson & Wales
Points: Adams (15)
Rebounds: Joachim (6)
Assists:  Adams (6)
 
Up Next
Keiser will take the floor in hopes of earning its third consecutive win when the Seahawks travel to face Webber International in Sun Conference play on Thursday, January 10 at 7:30 p.m.