Horrid free-throw shooting dooms Logan

 BY JOHN D. HOMAN

Logan Media Services

CARTERVILLE – There are times when statistics really do tell the whole story. John A. Logan College struggled mightily at the free-throw line Friday night, knocking down an unbelievable 16-of-40 tosses (40 percent) to go along with 24 turnovers and dropped its season opener to Memphis-based Southern Institute, 87-83.

Sophomore forward Jay Johnson drained a 3-pointer from the left corner with less than two minutes to play to give the Volunteers a brief two-point lead at 80-78, but it would be Logan’s last lead of the night.

Anderson Cunningham tied the game at 80 all with a shot off the glass and the Wildcats made enough free tosses in the last minute to post the upset.

Logan lost despite connecting on 31-of-56 shots from the field (55 percent), while Southern Institute could only make good on 27-of-78 (34 percent).

The Vols led by double digits early. The Wildcats rallied to pull within two at the intermission at 47-45.

“No excuses, we didn’t play well,” said second-year JALC head coach Kyle Smithpeters. “We need to play a lot better. They exposed a lot of things tonight. Twenty-four turnovers is going to get you beat and you can’t shoot what we did from the free-throw line and expect to win either. Additionally, we let the other team shoot more than 50 free throws (26-of-53 for 49 percent).”

JALC was led in scoring by freshman Martavian Payne’s 18 points. Darien Walker followed with 14. The Wildcats were led by Cortez Jeffries’ 20 points.

Logan returns to action at 3:30 today against No. 8-ranked Iowa Western.