Spring Break
Baron leads team to victory over Bonnies
Chris Smith
Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: Sports
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Trailing by 15 at halftime, it seemed as if the Bonnies were on their way to a blow out victory. But Baron's 23 points in the second half led Rhody to their highest second half total of the season.
"As a team we were embarrassed, the way we played in the first half," Baron said. "We went into halftime and we were very emotional in the locker room, very upset with each other for the way we played. Our defense was not good in the first half and I think that was the biggest adjustment we made in the second."
The Rams were able to turn the Bonnies over 12 times in the second half, 18 for the game leading to 24 points off turnovers.
"They were working a lot harder than we were," coach Baron said. "I thought in the second half we came out a lot more focused, a lot more determined on the defensive end, and [we] went right back at them. They're a good team. I think this league as a whole is a really good league."
Baron, who was playing with a rib injury from the game against Temple University on Sunday, shot 10-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. Juniors Keith Cothran and Delroy James chipped in with 14 and 13 points respectively. Marquis Jones scored nine points and dished out six assists. His six assists put him over the century mark for the season, becoming the first Rhody sophomore since Howard Smith to reach 100 assists in a season.
St. Bonaventure controlled the tempo for the majority of the first half. The Bonnies tied the game at 10-10 when Maurice Thomas converted a three-point play. St. Bonaventure opened up a 19-15 lead with 12:47 to go, but Cothran brought Rhody back with a steal and a three-point play on the other end. That was as close as the Rams got to the Bonnies in the first half, as they began to pull away leading by as many as 15. St. Bonaventure closed the half on an 11-1 run, taking 49-34 into the half.
