Jimmies open GPAC schedule with win over Morningside

The University of Jamestown men's basketball team put six players in double figures Wednesday night, defeating Morningside (Iowa) College 85-73 at Harold Newman Arena in the Great Plains Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

Mason Walters (SO/Jamestown, ND) led the way for UJ (4-0, 1-0 GPAC) with 22 points, 17 rebounds, and five assists.

Morningside led 12-10 after a pair of Collin Hill free throws with 13:36 in the first half. The Jimmies then took a four-point lead of their own after a Will Cordes (FR/Shakopee, MN) basket, only to have the Mustangs battle back and go ahead 22-18 at the 9:02 mark.

After five lead changes in the next 2:22, Jamestown built up a six-point advantage following a Devon Schultz (JR/Arlington, MN) dunk with 1:44 in the half. Cordes converted a three-point play with 48 ticks before halftime giving UJ its biggest lead of the half at 41-33.

Allante' Pickens (SR/Chicago, IL) and Jack Talley (SR/Sioux Falls, SD) opened the second half combining for eight points as UJ led 49-36 just 1:47 into the second.

Walters capped off a 14-4 run giving Jamestown its largest lead of the night at 58-40.

Talley sank a pair of free throws with 11:58 remaining to extend the edge to 20. Jamestown comfortably led between 15 and 20 points for the rest of the night until a 5-0 Mustang run to close the game cut the final lead to 12 points.

Cordes had 16 points off the bench while Brock Schrom (SR/Grand Rapids, MN) added 15 points and six rebounds. Pickens, Talley, and Schultz all finished with 10. Devan Praska (JR/Thompson, ND) joined Walters with five assists.

UJ outshot Morningside 57.9 percent to 48.1 percent and outrebounded the Mustangs 36-24.

The Jimmies look to stay unbeaten when they travel to Valley City State (N.D.) on Saturday in a non-conference matchup.