Vancouver, Wash. – Rodney Hounshell returns and finishes a point off a 30-point game and the Titans snapped their five-game losing streak with a 73-54 win at Clark.
How it happened:
First half: The Titans scored the first five and seven of the first nine points of the game, five of the seven came from returning Rodney Hounshell. Clark would respond with a 9-3 run to the 14:14 mark and the first and only lead of the game, 11-10. Jake Willemsen and Dominic McGarvey made back-to-back threes to reclaim the lead for the Titans at the 12:33 mark. Another Willemsen three and two free throws and a Jesse Hubbe three with 9:11 remaining gave the Titans their first double digit advantage, 24-14.
Clark did not let the 10-point lead last long, responding with a 6-0 run over the next 1:12 to cut the lead to four, 24-20. Again, the Titans would go on a quick 1:39, 7-0 run to extend their lead back to double digits, 31-20. After some more back and forth play that saw the Penguins cut the deficit to single digits and the Titans come right back, Isaac Lange and Rodney Hounshell finished off a 6-2 run to halftime with the Titans leading 43-30.
The Titans shot a fantastic 58.6 percent from the floor and 6-12 from three, along with only two turnovers, but 10 fouls allowed eight free throw attempts for the Penguins, but they were only able to make four.
Second half: Jake Willemsen and Rodney Hounshell made a jump shot each to start the half and the Titans did not concede points until the 16:55 mark and led by 15 until an and-one conversion by Clark cut it to 12. After Clark cut their, the Titans went on a 6-0 run for the largest lead of the game to that point of 18, 58-40 with 10:18 remaining.
After a couple of runs got the Penguins with in 13 and 12 with 6:41 and 4:14 remaining, the Titans responded with seven points – five from Tashon Brown -- to the 2:05 mark, leading 70-51. After both teams traded threes with under two minutes and 90 seconds, the Titans finished off their road win 73-54.
The Titans shooting dropped off massively in the second half, falling to 35.3 percent and 28.6 percent from three (4-14), but their defense carried them, allowing only 29.2 percent shooting and 23 points.
What stood out:
73 points: The fewest points scored in a win; only the second win scoring fewer than 80 (74 at Centralia, Dec. 17) … 7 free throws: The Titans are 5-0 when attempts single digit free throws … 29 rebounds: First win with fewer than 30 rebounds, 1-2 now … 46 percent: 9-2 when shooting 46 percent or higher from the field … 38.5 percent: 6-1 when shooting 38 percent or better from three.
Who stood out:
Rodney Hounshell: 29 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and four made threes; eighth 20-point game; 13th game with six or more rebounds, ninth consecutive … Jake Willemsen: 11 points, four rebounds and three made threes; ninth game with three or more made threes, the Titans are 7-2 in these games, 3-6 when he does not.
What does it mean:
The Titans (11-7, 2-5) move into a tie for 7th with Linn-Benton. They sit two games back of the 4th and final playoff spot.
What's next:
The Titans host Linn-Benton (8-12, 2-5) on Wednesday, Jan.29 at 7:30 p.m. It is the Titans annual Jam the Gym and admission is free with a canned good.