LAMONI, Iowa – The Central Methodist University men's basketball program secured its second consecutive win after topping Graceland in a road contest on Saturday afternoon.
The Eagles offense exploded in the first half of play after a series of six consecutive shots from beyond the arc gave Central the momentum. Twenty-three points from James Byrd II (SR/Kansas City, Mo.) in the opening frame buoyed the impressive 52 point performance in the first half, giving CMU a 52-38 advantage at the intermission. Strong opening play secured the victory as teams traded baskets throughout the second frame, finishing nearly even in all aspects of the second half.
Byrd led the Eagles in scoring with a 30 point performance after going 11-23 from the field and knocking down eight shots from distance. He also tacked on five assists, four rebounds, and five steals en route to the victory. Bryd was followed by a 24 point showing from Kyle McDermed (JR/Frankfort, Ill.) and a second consecutive double-double performance from Josh Robinson (SR/Normal, Ill.).
INSIDE THE BOX:
- As a team, Central set a new season-high from beyond the arc after knocking down 12 three-pointers in the first half
- Teams were nearly even in shooting on the night with CMU shooting 49% and Graceland shooting 46%, but CMU's 12-20 (60%) first half showing from the three point line created the scoring gap
- The Yellowjackets won the rebounding battle at a 39-28 margin
- Central forced 15 turnovers in the contest while only committing seven
NOTABLE PERFORMERS:
- James Byrd II – 30 points, 8-16 3PT, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals
- Kyle McDermed – 24 points, 9-17 from the field, 5-6 from the FT line
- Josh Robinson – 17 points, 11 assists (3rd double-double of the season)
- Seth Stegeman (SR/Jefferson City, Mo.) – 6 bench points, 5 rebounds
UP NEXT:
Central is set to host Mount Mercy on Wednesday, February 12th, for the Pink Out game. Tipoff is set for 7:30 PM at Puckett Field House.
