Balanced Bleu Devils Earn Rare Road Win; Beat Philander Smith 87-80

MIKE NEWELL
HEAD MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH
DILLARD UNIVERSITY

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas -- Dillard University had six players score in double figures as the Bleu Devils went on the road and defeated Philander Smith 87-80. It was the Bleu Devils' first conference road win since they won at Tougaloo on Feb. 16, 2013, snapping a 16-game conference road losing streak.

To pull out the win Dillard had to overcome a 39-36 halftime deficit. The Bleu Devis shot a blistering 62 percent in the second half as they outscored the Panthers 51-41.

Demetric Austin scored a team-high 15 points for the Bleu Devils. Austin, Dillard's leading scorer at 19.4 points per game, has scored in double figures in 13 of 14 contests this season. Starters Dexter Porchia (14 points, five rebounds) and Dennis Reed (12 points, 8 rebounds) combined to shoot 12-19 from the floors, while Dillard's reserves combined to go 10-for-19. Jesse Ward (11 points), Dennis Hightower (11 points, eight assists), and Patrick Thompson (10 points, five rebounds) led the second unit.

The Bleu Devils took command of the game in the early going, building a 14 point lead with 8:17 to go in the first half. But Philander Smith would close the half on a 23-6 run. Rashad Brackeen was the linchpin of the surge, both with his scoring and his passing. He made consecutive baskets to cut the lead to nine before giving an assist to Daldric Sargent to make the game 23-30. Philander had reeled off 15 straight points to take a 31-30 lead before Ramon Johnson was able to make a free throw that tied the game at 31. But Ronald March would score two of his game-high 25, putting the Panthers back on top. Tyson Oliver (10 points) and Chris Ward (18 points, eight boards) scored on the Panthers' last two possessions of the half, sending them into the locker room with the lead.

Ward would put PSC up five at 43-48 before Dillard would begin to make its second half push. Austin would convert an "and-one" opportunity with 12:11 to play to bring the Bleu Devils within one at 54-53, then Dennis Hightower would score off of a turnover to give Dillard the lead just over a minute later. The game was knotted at 69 all when Dennis Reed scored to give Dillard the lead for good as they outscored the Panthers 16-11 down the stretch.

Dillard converted five out of eight free throw attempts late to ice the game.

The Bleu Devils outshot the Panthers 53 percent to 45 percent from the floor. Philander Smith struggled from long distance, making just seven of 31 attempts from beyond the arc. Dillard also held advantages in total rebounds (33-30), offensive rebounds (11-7), free throws made and attempted and bench points (38-16).

Dillard (9-5, 1-1 GCAC) returns home to host Texas College in a non-conference matchup on Jan. 14 before facing SUNO on The Battlefield at Dent Hall on Jan. 16. Philander Smith (8-9, 1-1) begins a four-game road swing at SUNO on Jan. 9.

COURTESY GULF COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEDIA RELATIONS