Two Solid Halves and Balanced Attack Puts Highland Cavaliers Back in Win Column

January 16, 2007
Game Stats

Wise, VA – It took the Highland Cavaliers two solid halves and a balanced attack to put them back in the men’s basketball win column Tuesday night. UVA-Wise ended its seven-game losing streak with a sound 86-60 defeat of Union College in Appalachian Athletic Conference hoops.

The Cavs had lost their last seven and nine of 10 games before the victory. The win takes the UVA-Wise record to 6-14 and 3-6 in the AAC. Union fell to 8-13 and 2-7 in the conference.

UVA-Wise had four players in double figures and nine of 10 players dressed reach the scoring column. Zydrunas Rackauskas (Kaunas, Lithuania/ Jeffersontown, KY) and Seth Gibson (Wytheville, VA) both dropped in 19 points. Rackauskas made four of five attempts and 10 of 12 from the charity stripe for his points while clutching seven caroms. Gibson made five of eight, three from long-range and all six of his foul shots for his 19 tallies. Pance Kecev (Nickelsville, VA/Twin Springs) added 13 points and Jarred Soles 12 in the effort. Center Justin Sorensen (Suffolk, VA/Nansemond River) had his best game of the year with 10 rebounds, eight points and three blocked shots.

The Cavs outrebounded the Bulldogs by a wide 40-24 margin. The home team also made half of its shots, 24 of 48 from the floor and eight of 16 three-pointers.

Union put two players in double figures with 13 points from David Vance and 11 points from Ryne Bretz.

Leading 24-19 with 6:19 in the first half, UVA-Wise saw Sorensen sink two foul shots and a three-point from Kecev to make it 29-19. The margin was seven points with 40 seconds before two foul shots by Gibson and a long trey at the buzzer from Rackauskas at the buzzer made it a 12-point game, 39-27, at half.

The Cavs rode the momentum of the Rackauskas three-pointer into the second half where they built the difference to 19 points in the first three minutes capped by a Kecev three-pointer.

Union cut the score to 12 points, 69-57, with 6:03 remaining. UVA-Wise outscored the visitors 17-3 in those final six minutes for the 86-60 victory.

The Cavs take to the road Saturday for their next AAC game at Bryan College for a 4:00 p.m. affair.