The Basics
Final: Evangel 89, College of the Ozarks 71 | Final Stats
Records: Evangel (1-0); College of the Ozarks (0-1)
Site: Keeter Gymnasium
POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Evangel opened the 2021-22 season in style Wednesday evening, using a 15-0 first-half run to build a commanding lead that College of the Ozarks would never seriously threaten in an eventual 89-71 Valor victory at Keeter Gymnasium.
Led by Josh Pritchett's 18 points, five Evangel players scored in double figures thanks to a strong offensive performance that saw the Valor shoot just under 52 percent (33-of-64) from the field in handing head coach Bert Capel a victory in his first game as EU's bench boss.
Freshman Caleb Gordon also turned in a memorable debut, coming off the bench to hit 6-of-7 field goal attempts to tally 13 points in just 16 minutes.
After Pritchett started the game by scoring nine of Evangel's first 14 points, the Valor defense would lock down the Bobcats over a five-minute stretch to seize command for good. Gordon scored seven points during the run, while Cade Coffman and Logan Rodgers sank back-to-back three-pointers to help extend the EU lead to 29-11 with just under 10 minutes to play in the half.
The Valor led by as many as 19 before a CofO run sliced the margin to just seven points in the closing minutes of the half. The Bobcats' Drew Vachon was fouled while converting a field goal with just eight seconds to play, giving the home club the chance to close the gap to six points.
But Vachon missed at the foul line, and Manrique Alvarado completed his own conventional three-point play with just two ticks left on the clock to send the Valor to the locker room with a 49-39 advantage.
The two offenses traded punches in the early stages of the second stanza, with the Evangel lead fluctuating between nine and 13 points over the first six minutes. But Stephen Salvi connected from long range with 13:59 to play to set off a 7-0 Valor run that gave EU a 64-47 cushion.
Edriel Martinborough drilled a triple moments later, and Coffman knocked down a jumper with just over 10 minutes left in regulation to extend the margin to 20 points.
The Bobcats would get no closer than 17 the rest of the way, as Evangel secured its first opening night win since 2014.
In addition to big nights from Pritchett and Gordon, Coffman totaled 15 points, while both Alvarado and Martinborough finished with 11 points for the Valor.
Evangel committed just seven turnovers for the game, finished 8-of-20 (0.400) from three-point range and shot 83.3 percent (15-of-18) from the free-throw line.
Josh Linehan led the Bobcats with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
UP NEXT
Evangel opens its home slate Saturday (Oct. 30) afternoon with a 1 p.m. non-conference contest against University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma at the Ashcroft Center.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.
—#OneValor—
