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Purdue Fort Wayne
Southern Utah
Mastodons Dominate Southern Utah, 69-52
2/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2009
Fort Wayne, IN - On "Senior Day", it was the senior combination of David Carson and Jakari Johnson who powered IPFW past Southern Utah in the season finale at the Memorial Coliseum. Carson and Johnson combined for 35 points as the Mastodons dominated the Thunderbirds, 69-52.
With the win, IPFW clinches the sixth spot in the upcoming Summit League Tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Mastodons will face the No. 3 seeded Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Sunday, March 8 at 9:30 p.m.
IPFW took a 9-6 lead at the 14:06 mark of the first half on a triple by sophomore guard Zach Plackemeier and did not trail the rest of the contest.
Junior forward Deilvez Yearby put back his own miss to give the Mastodons their biggest lead of the first half at 30-20, and the 'Dons went to the break with a 32-23 cushion.
In the second half, the Mastodons pulled away. An old-fashioned 3-points play by Carson at the 16:20 mark pushed the 'Dons lead to 13.
Johnson followed that up with one of his three triples on the afternoon, all part of a 17-5 run that gave the Mastodons a 19-point edge.
Southern Utah never got closer than 13-points the rest of the way.
"I just thought we were ready to go from the start, and I hope that is a tell-tale sign of what's to come," IPFW head coach Dane Fife said.
Obviously, what's to come is the Mastodons' second appearance in The Summit League Tournament. Fife said he feels his team is ready for the challenge. "I think we're a very dangerous team," he added. "I think our guys understand now that defense works. If the five guys out there are working in unison, you can get some stuff done."
The Mastodons held Southern Utah (10-19, 8-10 SL) to just 38.2% shooting in the contest and outrebounded the T-birds, 32-28.
"I'm really starting to think it's a championship pride we're starting to get on the defensive end," Carson said. "Those guys up top (guards) start it off for us guys down low. You remember at the beginning of the year, we used to have some slow starts, and I just think that the defense and the intensity gets us going, because even if we're not making shots, if we're stopping shots, we'll be ok."
The Mastodons made plenty of shots in the game. IPFW finished 25-48 from the floor for 52.1%. Carson led the way in his final regular season game in blue and white with a game-high 18 points. He also pulled down eight rebounds.
 Jakari Johnson slashed for two of his 17 vs. Southern Utah  |
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Johnson equaled his season-high with 17 points. He also had four steals.
Joining Carson and Johnson in double-digits was Yearby with 10 points and nine rebounds. Yearby blocked three shots. That ties him with former Mastodon David Simon for the individual season block record with 54.
Southern Utah was led in scoring by senior forward Tyler Quinney with 14. Junior guard Davis Baker was the only other T-Bird in double figures with 13.
With the win, IPFW finishes the regular season at 13-16 and 8-10 in Summit League play. The 13 wins equals IPFW's best mark in the D-I era, a mark that was set last season.
~Dons~
