Bulldogs cap Show Me Center sweep, stop rival Tigers 88-78

~ Notre Dame's boys posted their second win this season over Central.

Notre Dame's pressure defense forced one turnover after another in a rout of Central at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament.

The Central boys made the necessary adjustments in the rematch Tuesday at the Show Me Center, going nearly turnover free.

It was the Bulldogs' offense which proved the difference, as Notre Dame swept the season series with an 88-78 SEMO Conference win.

"They handled the press really good," Notre Dame coach Paul Hale said. "We've got to get that fire back defensively, but we had a good offensive game. We won the game offensively."

More than a quarter of Notre Dame's offense came from its reserves. Sophomore guard Ty Williams scored 10 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. Senior reserve Logan Haines scored nine points, and senior Brandon Holzum had seven.

"The bench did a heck of a job," Hale said. "Brandon, Logan, Ty and Abe [Dirnberger] did a heck of a job when they got in there."

Much of the rest of Notre Dame's offense came from its post players. Sophomore forward Ryan Willen led Notre Dame with 23 points. Willen hit three 3-pointers and had 17 points in the first half.

"Ryan Willen had a really good game, especially in the first half," Hale said. "He hit some big shots."

Senior center Alex Ressel added 16 points before fouling out late in the game. The senior guard tandem of Xavier Delph and Frankie Ellis managed just 16 points combined, with 10 coming from Ellis.

"I was a little disappointed in our interior defense," Central coach Derek McCord said. "I thought we gave too many open looks to Willen and Ressel."

While senior center David Deisher helped the Tigers (10-9) take an early lead with 12 points in the opening quarter, sophomore guards Adrian Cox and Jajuan Bell helped the Tigers get back in the game late.

With Deisher and leading scorer Darnell Wilks both saddled with foul trouble, the Tigers fell behind by as many 16 points early in the fourth quarter. Cox helped spark a comeback with his dribble penetration in the fourth quarter. Central got to within seven points twice in the late going but could get no closer.

"Adrian had that look in his eyes," McCord said. "When he gets that look in his eyes, he's hard to stop."

Cox finished with 23 points, Bell had 15, Deisher added 14 and Wilks scored 12. Jeremy Kimble had 10 points and 18 rebounds for the Tigers.

Notre Dame (18-2) was the third straight state-ranked opponent for the Tigers. Central knocked off No. 3 Doniphan, a Class 3 school, in overtime last week and lost to district rival Poplar Bluff on the road.

"Your goal as a coach is to get better every day, that's priority No. 1 for me," McCord said. "I think we're showing we're a better team than we were earlier in the year. We just have to continue to get over the hump."

Notre Dame 88, Central 78

Notre Dame 21 27 12 28 -- 88

Central 24 15 12 27 -- 78

CENTRAL (78) -- Adrian Cox 23, Darnell Wilks 12, Jeremy Kimble 10, Jajuan Bell 15, David Deisher 14, Garrett Ozbun 2, Jared Thomas 2. FG 29, FT 17-22, F 27 (3-pointers: Cox 2, Bell 1. Fouled out: Wilks, Kimble)

NOTRE DAME (88) -- Ryan Willen 23, Alex Ressel 16, Frankie Ellis 10, Ty Williams 10, Logan Haines 9, Xavier Delph 6, Brandon Holzum 7, Abe Dirnberger 2, Kirk Boeller 5. FG 30, FT 23-34, F 24 (3-pointers: Willen 3, Boeller 1, Holzum 1. Fouled out: Delph, Ressel)