By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, OH---Justin Edmonds (Albion/Albion, Mich.) paced the team in the first half, while James Kelly (Pioneer/Ann Arbor, Mich.) paced the team in the second half as the Owens Express men's basketball team defeated Lake Michigan College 90-73 in the SHAC on Saturday afternoon.
Owens is now 11-4 this season and has surpassed last year's win total of 10 under first-year head coach Dave Clarke.
In the first half, Edmonds totaled 15 points, three rebounds and two assists, while Kelly had four points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. In the second half, Kelly had 20 points, one rebound, one assist, two blocks and two steals, while Edmonds had 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Overall, Edmonds finished with a game high 29 points, a team-high seven rebounds, a team-high five assists, and two steals. He went 8-for-13 overall from the field, 7-for-10 from three point range and 6-for-8 from the foul line. Additionally, Edmonds came just one made 3-point field goal away from tying the school record for most in one game.
Kelly finished with 24 points, six rebounds, four assists, a team-high four steals and and a team-high three blocks. The freshman forward had four dunks in the second half, and he has now reached an even 300 points this season.
Edmonds and Kelly have each had eight games this year in which they have scored 20 or more points.
Taronta Cole Jr. (Gulfport/Gulfport, Miss.) added nine points on 3-for-5 shooting from three point range, while Jeff Burroughs (Belleville/Ypsilanti, Mich.) had eight points, three rebounds, two steals and a team-high seven assists.
As a team, the Express finished 28-for-56 overall from the field, 14-for-27 from three point range and 20-for-25 from the foul line. Lake Michigan finished 26-for-57 overall, 2-for-11 from three point range and 19-for-28 from the foul line.
Lake Michigan out-produced the Express in points in the paint (38 to 22), rebounds (34 to 30) and second chance points (20 to 8), but the Express out-produced Lake Michigan in points off turnovers (34 to 21), and bench points (42 to 19).
The Express came up just one made 3-point field goal away from tying the school record for most in one game as a team. They led by as many as 20 in the second half.
Tim Bates led Lake Michigan with 24 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. KeyVan Ford added 15 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, while Lavell McKnight had 10 points. Eric Thompson produced a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, as well.
The Express will travel to University Center, Mich., to take on Delta College Tuesday beginning at 7:30 p.m.