Box Score Game Book (pdf)
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – The Wofford men’s basketball team built a 17-point lead in the second half but needed two free throws in the last twelve seconds by Jamar Diggs for an 84-83 win over Seattle on Saturday. The game was the final game for Wofford in the HoopTV Las Vegas Invitational, with the last two games held at the Orleans Arena.
Wofford is 4-3 overall, while Seattle is also 4-3 on the season. The Terriers were led by Noah Dahlman with 23 points and ten rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Junior Salters added eleven points as ten different players scored for Wofford. The Redhawks were led by Charles Garcia with 41 points and ten rebounds. He is the first opponent to score more than 40 points on Wofford since 1986.
“Seattle is a very good team,” said head coach Mike Young. “Charles Garcia signed with Washington, but came to Seattle with their head coach. He is going to make a lot of money playing this game. Our guys hung in there. I thought that we earned it and we will take it. I know we are looking forward to getting back to the Carolinas. Now the task at hand is what matters most to us, and that is league play. We have two games coming up here in a short period of time. Western was picked to win their half and we are going to have to play well.”
The Terriers scored first and then the game was tied at 2. A three by Junior Salters gave Wofford a 5-2 lead. The Terriers pushed the lead to 11-4 after a bucket from Noah Dahlman. The Redhawks pulled to 20-17 at the eleven minute mark, but Wofford answered with a 10-0 run that ended with a three by Jamar Diggs for a 30-17 lead.
With five minutes to go in the first half, Wofford had their largest lead at 35-21 after a free throw from Noah Dahlman. Seattle was able to cut the lead to only six points with under a minute to play with a shot by Charles Garcia, but Terry Martin scored the final three points of the half for Wofford to take a 43-34 lead at the break.
In the second half, Seattle scored the first three points, but Junior Salters answered with a three. A bucket and free throw by Kevin Giltner gave Wofford a 53-43 lead at 15:57, then a three from Giltner pushed the lead to 56-44. A lay-up and free throw by Tim Johnson at 13:47 gave Wofford a 63-46 lead, their largest of the game.
Seattle chipped away at the lead over the next six minutes and at 7:43, the Wofford lead was down to ten at 75-65. The 9-0 run by the Redhawks continued and cut the lead to three points with 5:13 on the clock. A bucket and free throw by Corey Godzinski pushed the lead back to six for the Terriers with four minutes remaining. With 1:31 left, Charles Garcia tied the game with a free throw. Noah Dahlman hit one-of-two to get the lead back for the Terriers at 82-81 with 58 seconds remaining.
Ten seconds later, Charles Garcia missed two free throws, but got his own rebound and hit a bucket to give Seattle an 83-82 lead – their first of the game - with 42 seconds left. Jamar Diggs hit two free throws with twelve seconds to regain the lead at 84-83. Seattle had a shot by Charles Garcia miss and Noah Dahlman got the rebound to secure the win for the Terriers.
Wofford shot 50.0% from the floor and 33.3% from behind the arc. From the free throw line, the Terriers were 64.7%. The Redhawks shot 52.7% overall and 62.5% from three and were 57.1% from the line. Wofford had a 41-32 lead on rebounds. Tim Johnson fouled out for the Terriers.
The Terriers have road games at Western Carolina on Wednesday and at Michigan State on Friday before hosting Appalachian State at Benjamin Johnson Arena on Monday, December 7.
