BURNABY, BC – Simon Fraser University kept 1,015 fans on the edge of their seats for most of the second half before fading down the stretch and losing 73-66 to Saint Martin's University in Great Northwest Athletic Conference men's basketball action Saturday in the West Gym.
The West Gym Whiteout delivered the largest crowd of the season for a men's and women's basketball double header, with fans receiving a free SFU Athletics 50th anniversary commemorative t-shirt.
Earlier in the day the women's team defeated Alaska Nanooks 77-60.
The men's game was tied 58-58 with 3:43 left, when SMU went on a 9-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, 67-58, with 1:26 remaining. SFU guard
Max Barkeley stopped the run after he made a three with 1:15 left on the clock to cut the game to six, and after a turnover by the Saints, Barkeley made another three to cut the lead to three at 67-64.
After the timeout, SMU's Brandon Kenilvort hit a three with 28 second left on the clock and SMU took the win after making its last three-of-four free throws and getting the rebounds off of the Clan's missed opportunities.
The loss drops the Clan to 0-2 in GNAC play while the Saints move to 1-1.
SFU was led by Barkeley, who had 26 points,
Michael Harper, who recorded 16 points, and
Oshea Gairey added 12 points. Barkeley scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half. He was 7-of-13 from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point range in the second half. Harper scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half.
SMU shot 12-of-22 (54.5%) from the field in the second half while the Clan was 10-of-31 (32.3%).
The Clan shot 36.4 percent from the field and 95 percent from the free throw line. The Saints shot 39.6 percent from the field and 74.3 percent from the free throw line.
The Clan had 17 turnovers in the game with 13 coming in the first half.
SMU was led by Kenilvort, who had a career high 15 points, and Fred Jorg recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The game went back and forth, and had seven ties and six lead changes.
The teams were tied 28-28 at the half.
In the second half, SMU took the lead and never lost it. The Saints went ahead early by four at 36-32 but SFU came back to tie the game at 38. SMU went on an 8-2 run to take the six-point lead at 46-40 with 12:31 left in the game but the Clan cut into that six-point lead after a 5-0 run and came within one.
Simon Fraser is back in action at Western Washington on Dec. 15 in Bellingham.
--@SFUClan--
