Hot-Shooting Hawks Roll To 101-89 Win Over Evangels In NCCAA National Tournament

The fifth-seeded Shorter University Hawks shot 52.2 percent (35-of-67) from the field and knocked down 11 threes in a 101-89 win over the fourth-seeded Mid-America Christian University Evangels in the quarterfinals of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Tournament Wednesday afternoon (Mar. 13) on the campus of Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind.

The Evangels will now play the loser between top-seeded Fresno Pacific and eighth-seeded Roberts Wesleyan tomorrow morning (Mar. 14) at 7:30 a.m. (CST). The Hawks will face the winner of that matchup in the semifinals tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. (CST).

Anthony Banks powered the Hawks' attack with game-highs of 33 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots.

MACU darted out with a quick 7-3 edge when the Hawks began to take control as Kenny Leverette and Anthony Banks combined for 12 points of a 14-2 spurt for a 17-9 lead.

After Josh Smith scored to cut the lead to six, the Hawks again pushed ahead with consecutive threes by Walter Hill fueled an 8-0 run to lead 25-13 at the 11:44 mark of the first half.

The Hawks then broke the game open by out-scoring the Evangels 16-7 over the final 4:57 of the half to stretch the lead to 50-32 at the break.

SU maintained control and built the lead as high as 24 on the strength of a 11-3 run that made it 63-39 with 16:16 left.

Two straight threes from Camilo Valencia and Reggie Davis trimmed the deficit to 67-51 and the Evangels got as close as 13 on a three by Charlie Shorter with 9:51 remaining.

But a 10-2 run by the Hawks staved off the Evangels and again grew the lead back to 21 at 83-62 at the 6:51 mark.

The closest the Evangels (17-13) could creep from there was 12 when treys from Shorter and Stephen Armstrong made it 99-87 with only 1:19 left.

Shorter scored 31 points to lead the Evangels, including 25 in the second half. Angelo Lewis scored 18 and Davis had team-highs of 11 rebounds and seven assists.

Banks shot 12-of-22 from the field and 9-of-10 at the foul line for his 33 point total that led five Hawks in double-figures. Hill scored 26 and knocked down 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.