TMU's defensive pressure in second half sparks comeback win

TMU Men's Basketball couldn't buy a basket to begin Thursday night's home game against University of Northwestern (Minn.).
 
The defending National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) champions held the Mustangs to just two points in the first 10-and-a-half minutes as part of a 20-2 start to the game.
 
But Master's utilized a full-court press in the second half, forcing 19 Eagle turnovers after halftime to help TMU overcome its slow offensive start and win its fourth-straight game, 55-50.
 
"I'm proud of how hard we competed to come out with the win," Master's Head Coach Kelvin Starr said. "Shooting 1-for-16 from 3 and starting the game down 20-2, we had to really gut it out in the second half."
 
After trailing by 18, the Mustangs were able to chip away at the Eagles' advantage, getting to within four after a Kaleb Lowery triple (the team's only 3-point field goal of the game) with four minutes to play before halftime. But the visitors closed the first half on an 8-2 run to take a 10-point lead into halftime after TMU shot just 27.3% in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Then the Mustangs' defensive pressure in the second half allowed Master's to narrow its deficit. At just over the halfway point in the second period, steals on consecutive possessions allowed TMU to score back-to-back fast-break layups to make it a single-possession game.
 
Northwestern maintained its advantage until two Kaleb Lowery free throws gave Master's its first lead of the evening, 48-47, with 3:11 remaining.
 
The teams traded leads for the next couple minutes until the game was tied at 50 apiece entering the final minute of regulation. Kaleb Lowery crashed the offensive glass to corral a missed layup and put it back in to put TMU up by two with 37 seconds left.
 
On the subsequent Northwestern possession, Caden Starr picked the pocket of an Eagle dribbler before sinking two free throws to put the game out of reach.
 
Caden Starr (six steals) and Kaleb Lowery (four steals) recorded all of their steals in the second half, when the Mustang defensive pressure forced the Eagles into committing 19 of their 24 turnovers. For the game, over half of TMU's points, 28 of 55, came off turnovers.

Thomas Lowery scored 10 of his career-high 16 points after halftime, while Kaleb Lowery (10 rebounds) equaled his older brother's offensive output with 16 points (nine in the second half).
 
"Huge production from TJ Lowery tonight," Kelvin Starr said. "He was great on both ends of the court."
 
TMU's head coach also highlighted the defensive impact of Jay Turley, whose late steal officially sealed the victory for Master's.
 
"JT was awesome in the second half pressuring the ball," Kelvin Starr said.
 
The Mustangs, 10-3 overall and winners of four-straight, finish 2021 with a home game against Benedictine University Mesa on Friday at 3 p.m. after a hard-fought victory on Thursday.
 
"Much respect for the opponent tonight," Kelvin Starr said about Northwestern. "They execute and compete as good as anyone we have played."