From University of Chicago Athletics
Jordan Smith hit the 1,000-point milestone on Sunday afternoon and used his 26 points to guide the No. 16-ranked University of Chicago men's basketball team to a 112-100 shootout victory at Case Western Reserve University.
The Maroons have now won 11-straight games and improve their record to 12-2 overall (3-0 UAA). The Spartans dropped to 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the University Athletic Association (UAA).
Sunday's game saw several significant highlights from the UChicago side. The senior guard became the 17th men's basketball player in school history to score 1,000 points in a career; he now sits at 1,025 points. The Maroons also posted their most points in a game in more than 20 years. The last time the team scored at least 112 was on Nov. 18, 1995 in a 152-137 loss to Grinnell College.
UChicago started well, making four of its opening five shots to make the score 9-3. However, the rest of the half quickly turned into a back-and-forth track meet full of scoring. Case eventually tied the game at 16-16 and proceeded to light it up from deep. The home team sank 11 out of 20 from three-point range in the first half alone.
With the points piling up in rapid succession, Smith kept the Maroons afloat and within striking distance. He poured in 17 points of his own in only 13 minutes of play in the first half. Despite the deluge from beyond the arc, Case only led 54-51 at halftime. UChicago relied on deadly efficiency to keep pace as the squad shot 60.6 percent from the field.
In the second half, Case's long-range accuracy fell off and the visitors made their move. Up 71-70, the Maroons went on a 13-3 run to build its lead to double figures. Smith and senior forward Nate Brooks both scored four points in the paint during the run. Another 10-2 spurt following a timeout gave the Maroons a 94-77 advantage that would not be challenged the rest of the way.
The post bore fruit for the Maroons all day. The visitors outscored the home team 70-34 in points in the paint. Rebounding totals were one-sided as well with UChicago winning the category 53-37. Brooks flexed his muscles down low with season highs of 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Overall, UChicago shot a season-best 59.2 percent on field goals. Junior guard Tyler Howard(14 points), junior forward Waller Perez (12 points) and sophomore forward Collin Barthel (11 points) also reached double-digit points.
UChicago Team Stats & Leaders
Field-goal Percentage – 59.2 percent (42-71)
Three-point Percentage – 50.0 percent (7-14)
Free-throw Percentage – 61.8 percent (21-34)
Jordan Smith (Guard, Sr.) – 26 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists
Nate Brooks (Forward, Sr.) – 17 points, 13 rebounds
Tyler Howard (Guard, Jr.) – 14 points
Case Team Stats & Leaders
Field-goal Percentage – 41.5 percent (34-82)
Three-point Percentage – 41.0 percent (16-39)
Free-throw Percentage – 69.6 percent (16-23)
Javier Alvarez – 20 points
David Black – 17 points
Jimmy Holman – 16 points, 10 assists
Colin Zucker – 16 points, 7 rebounds