March 12, 2008

On the strength of a late first half run, 15^th seeded Cedarville University (OH) defeated Jamestown College (N.D.) 83-59  in the first round of the 17^th annual NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. The 2008 event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks (Mo.).

Cedarville used a 15-5 run in the final 7:29 of the first half to take a 38-28 lead into the locker room. Ryan Short led a balanced Yellow Jacket attack with 9 first half points.  Kyle Iverson scored Jamestown's first eight points of the game, but finished the half with just 10 points.

The second half was all Cedarville, as they pushed the lead to 15 points (44-29) in the first three minutes of the second half.  Jamestown would trim the Cedarville lead to 13 points twice (44-31, 51-38), but would get no closer.  The Yellow Jackets held their largest lead at 74-45 with 7:05 to play.

After shooting only 5-18 from three-point in the first half, Cedarville found the range from behind the arc in the second half, connecting on 12-32.  Cedarville junior guard, Grant Walker, was 4-4 from three-point range in the second half and finished with 17 points.  Short added 16 points and Chris Beals 11.  The Yellow Jackets shot 18-34 from the floor in the second half and 32-73 (.438) for the game.

Senior Kyle Iverson led Jamestown with a game-high 18 points.  Jordan Olson added 14 points and Jake Holen 13. Cedarville held Holen nine points under his season average.  Jamestown ends their season at 23-9.

Cedarville, who improves to 23-7, will face the winner of the Edward Waters (Fla.)/Eastern Oregon game at 7:30 pm on Friday night.   The 32-team, single elimination tournament concludes on Tuesday, March 13.