`Dogs stifle Warriors

By STEVE SELL, Sentinel Sports Editor

Playing defense has become more than just a rumor for the McPherson College Bulldogs.

It's become a downright, set-it-in-stone fact.

The team that allowed its opponents to score more than 80 points in five of its first seven games has turned into a defensive monster.

The Bulldogs put the jaws of life on Sterling Thursday night at the Sport Center, incredibly holding the athletic Warriors to just 44 points in a 58-44 victory.

The 19th-ranked Bulldogs moved to 3-0 in the KCAC and play one of the other two 3-0 teams here Saturday when Friends comes to town for a 7 p.m. clash.

"You hold a team to 44 points and 27 percent shooting from the field, you're obviously doing some things very well on the defensive end," said Mac coach Roger Trimmell, whose team is now 9-2 overall. "I thought Cody Rierson set the tone on defense, and Lee Gustafson and Brian Hooks also played well. It was just a great team effort. I think Cody's hard-nosed style has become infectious."

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 21-8 lead and it took a late Michael Moncrief basket to get the Warriors to 20 points at the half, as Mac built up a 31-20 lead.

But all that good work was wiped out by the Warriors in the first four minutes of the second half, as they scored the first 11 points to knot the game.

But after that, the Bulldogs were simply stifling. A 16-4 run gave them the breathing room they needed and the Warriors didn't even reach the 40-point mark until the 4:41 mark left in the game.

"Even though (Michael) Moncrief scored 14 points, he was just 5 of 14 from the field," Trimmell said. "Anytime you hold him to that percentage, you have to like your chances."

The Bulldogs didn't execute that well offensively, but still received 21 points from Kenny Romero and 16 from Hooks.

"It was just a tremendously hard-fought game and I think Saturday is going to be much the same," Trimmell said.

Sterling, the KCAC preseason favorite in both the coaches and media polls, fell to 1-2 in the conference.

Mac (58) -- Rierson 0 2-2 2; McDonald 4 0-0 8; Carter 3 0-1 7; Hooks 7 0-0 16; Soto 1 1-2 4; Romero 10 1-7 21. Totals -- 25 4-12 58. 3-pointers -- Hooks 2, Carter 1, Soto 1.

Sterling (44) -- Collins 3 0-0 8; Schneider 1 2-2 4; Stover 1 0-0 2; Williams 1 2-2 4; Tucker 1 0-0 2; Moncrief 5 3-3 14; Lucas 3 3-4 10. Totals -- 15 10-11 44. 3-pointers -- Collins 2, Moncrief 1, Lucas 1.