TAMPA, Fla. – The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team won its fifth game of the 2013-14 season with a 70-66 win over Regis College (Mass.). This was the first day of the Tampa Bay Shootout hosted by DePauw University (Ind.).
With the two teams tied at 10 in the early stages of the first half, Kalamazoo senior guard Mark Ghafari caught scored six of the Hornets next eight points. These baskets from Ghafari sparked K as the Hornets ended the first half on a 25-14 run and took a 35-24 lead into halftime.
A three pointer from freshman guard Adam Dykema put Kalamazoo ahead 55-35 with 9:39 to play in regulation, but Regis would not go quietly. Trailing by 11 points with under a minute to play, the Pride got as close as four when Chris Keaton hit a three pointer as time expired.
Mark Ghafari and junior forward Adam Peters paced the Hornets with 20 and 19 points respectively. Sophomore guard Carl Ghafari scored nine points to go along with four assists and four rebounds. Freshman forward Chase Baysdell grabbed nine rebounds in the game.
As a team, Kalamazoo shot 43 percent (20-47) from the floor and 64 percent (25-39) from the free throw line. The Hornets turned in what might be their best defensive performance of the season holding Regis to 34 percent shooting and just 28 percent (5-18) from beyond the arc.
Kalamazoo improves to 5-3 on the season with the win. The Hornets will face DePauw tomorrow, Dec. 30, in the Tampa Bay Shootout final.