From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
CLEVELAND – Junior guard Julien Person (Houston, Texas/Second Baptist) scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Case Western Reserve University men's basketball team to a 77-58 victory in University Athletic Association action versus the University of Chicago on Sunday afternoon at Horsburgh Gymnasium.
The Spartans (10-6, 2-3 UAA) snap a three-game losing skid, while the Maroons (10-6, 3-2 UAA) drop their first in four games.
Person stuffed the stat sheet with 30 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and two steals. The third-year Spartan shot 10-of-13 from the floor, 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
Along with Person, junior forward Dane McLoughlin (Westerville, Ohio/St. Charles Preparatory) scored 15 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc. Senior center David Thompson (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior) posted nine points, a career high-tying 16 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Three-point shooting was a deciding factor with the Spartans at .538 (7-of-13) and Chicago at .158 (3-of-19). Case also matched a season high with nine blocks.
Neither team was sharp offensively in the outset, but the Spartans were able to piece together a 10-3 run to lead 25-17 at the 3:00 mark of the first half. Person capped the run with a three-pointer as the Spartans outscored the Maroons 19-7 over a span of 9:19. Each side took turns with quick runs in the final minutes, and the game went to halftime with the Spartans ahead by nine, 30-21.
In the second period, the Spartans opened on a 12-5 run and led by a game-high 16 (42-26) when McLoughlin rattled home a three-pointer at 14:02. Chicago battled back with a quick 10-2 run and pulled within eight (44-36) following an Alex Voss trey at 11:00, but the Spartans regained control with four points in a row. Down the stretch, Person hit a number of key shots to foil any thoughts of a Chicago comeback.
For the game, the Maroons were led by Voss and Derrick Davis with 13 points each.