Central Michigan University
Grand Canyon
Chippewa Men Rally, But Fall at Grand Canyon
12/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
PHOENIX - Keno Davis isn't necessarily one for moral victories. Most college basketball coaches aren't.
Yet he couldn't help but find plenty of silver linings in his team's 75-72 loss Thursday to unbeaten Grand Canyon before a raucous crowd in the Antelopes' University Arena.
"I'm not sure that in three-plus years (at CMU) that I've had a team play harder," said Davis, whose team again played without injured star guard Chris Fowler, and then was forced to play the final 4 minutes, 44 seconds without sharpshooting forward John Simons, who fouled out after scoring a season-high 24 points.
"Without Chris Fowler, and John Simons somehow getting five fouls out there, and to still be in there -- the place was crazy with the atmosphere," Davis said.
"No, we didn't play our best game, don't mistake me, but as far as effort - if we play that hard the rest of the year, we're going to be a really fun team, we're going to win our share of games. I'm excited to get back on the practice court coming back home."
The Chippewas (4-4) got 25 points from guard Braylon Rayson and 12 from Rayshawn Simmons and made a late charge, overcoming a six-point deficit to tie it at 72-all on a pair of Rayson free throws with 51 seconds left.
De'Andre Davis hit two free throws with 34 seconds remaining to put Grand Canyon (6-0) in front for good. The Chippewas couldn't get the equalizer as they missed four 3-point attempts in the final 25 seconds.
Joshua Braun hit a free throw with 16 seconds left for the final margin.
The Chippewas' employed a fullcourt pressure defense in mounting their late surge.
"One thing that we have in our arsenal is full-court pressure," Davis said. "With the reduction in our rotation right now we haven't used it unless it was necessary.
"We pressed and turned it over and got the speed of the game going and that's what pressure can do for you. That's in our playbook and it will come out more earlier in games, like you saw it last year, when we get a little healthier and we get a little deeper in our rotation."
Gerard Martin and Davis scored 17 points apiece to lead the Antelopes, who are coached by former CMU great Dan Majerle.
The Chippewas were outrebounded, 37-29, but made 22 of their 26 free throw attempts and shot 35.7 percent (10-for-28) from 3-point range, a sign that they have broken out of the shooting slump that dogged them when they lost three games at the Gulf Coast Showcase in Florida last week.
Rayson finished 4-of-10 from 3-point range and made all seven of his free throw attempts. Simons was 5-of-7 from the floor including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, and made 10-of-13 from the line.
CMU plays host to Aquinas (8-3) on Monday (7 p.m.) in a non-league game.
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