Poor shooting and dismal first half sinks Pack

Pueblo, COLO. - When you only shoot 40 percent from the field, and hit less than 50 percent of your free throws, like the Newman University Jets did Friday in their game against the ThunderWolves, it is likely you won't win your game.

Unfortunately, the ThunderWolves were worse, only hitting 35 percent of their field goals, and an absolutely ugly 28 percent in the first half, as they fell 63-57 to the Jets in the opening game of the Al Kaly Classic.

The ThunderWolves were only able to muster 16 points in the first half, eight of which coming from center Jake Trahern, while only going 1-for-6 from the line.

Newman wasn't much better, but was 7-for-16 from three-point land in the half, accounting for much of their 29 first half points and leaving the Pack playing catch up.

A markedly improved team came out in the second half, untimely bricks kept the Pack from gaining any momentum. By the time the ThunderWolves had gotten momentum, inside of the 1:00 mark, it was already too late.

Trailing by 10 with a minute remaining, the ThunderWolves went on a tear, led largely by guard Ty McTyer. The Pack's leading scorer on the night with 22 points, McTyer was 4-for-4 from the line down the stretch and was a spark plug, setting up mismatches on long range shots. Freshman Daniel Pierce was the beneficiary, sinking two of his three three-pointers inside the one minute mark as the Pack closed Newman's advantage to four, albeit with only seven seconds left, too late to make a credible push.

Pack coach Patrick Eberhart said it was simple - they just didn't shoot well enough to win.

"When you are able to hold a team to 40 percent from the field and only 47 percent from the line, you feel like you have a good chance," Eberhart said. "But we didn't shoot well enough to and we weren't consistent on defense, and that was the difference."

Looking at the stat sheet, the Pack had some standouts, including a double-double by Trahern and an 11-point, eight rebound performance by Pierce in his first action in a ThunderWolf uniform. But individuals don't win, teams do, Eberhart said.

"It's great to have those kinds of individual efforts," Eberhard said. "But our goal is to win the game, not put up stats, and we didn't do that tonight."

The ThunderWolves will look to right the ship Saturday when they face Johnson & Wales in the final game of the Al Kaly Classic at 7 p.m.