OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The 2012-13 season got underway for the Gallaudet University men's basketball team here Saturday as the Bison lost 82-65 to host Stevenson University in the inaugural Hoopsville National Invitational Classic. The game marked the debut for first-year GU head coach Brendan Stern.
Gallaudet (0-1) was in the majority of the game and only trailed by four, 40-36, at halftime after the Bison committed 13 of their game-high 21 turnovers that led to 17 first half points for Stevenson (1-0). The Bison made 6-of-9 shots from three-point range to help them stay with the Mustangs through the first 20 minutes of play.
Senior guard Jocus Houston (Baton Rouge, La.) was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field in the first half, including two shots from long distance, as he scored nine of his 12 points in the game.
In the second half, Stevenson came out hitting several quick shots to take a 10-point lead behind the play of Brett Burrier (22 points). GU senior Layton Seeber (Champaign, Ill.) and Danny Kelly (Strongsville, Ohio) brought the Bison to within three, 51-48, with 16 minutes left in regulation. Seeber made two three-pointers and one jump shot during the 9-5 run for Gallaudet.
Seeber finished the game with a team-high 15 points, six assists and two rebounds and two steals. Kelly was the third Bison in double figures as he scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Gallaudet missed its first shot of the second half and then made nine consecutive shots before the Bison shooters went cold and only made 3-of-18 (.167) attempts the final 12 minutes. GU only had four points the final nine minutes of play. The Bison went scoreless for a five-minute stretch where Stevenson scored 10 points late in the game.
The Bison shot 51.9 percent in the first half but finished the game with a 47.3 percentage compared to Stevenson's final field goal percentage of 58.9 percent. The Mustangs scored 29 points off 21 Bison turnovers and held a 32-26 rebound advantage. Stevenson also received 36 points from its bench while GU was limited to 10 points from the reserves.
GU forward Orion Palmer (Riverside, Calif.) scored nine points, six rebounds and three assists in his Bison debut. Junior Tyler Crace (Westfield, Ind.) made two three-pointers in the first half to finish with six points, four rebounds while reserves Ben Coleman (St. Paris, Ohio) and Jeremy Adams (Glenn Dale, Md.) netted five points each.
The Bison will face Franciscan University from Steubenville, Ohio, tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 18) when they tip-off off at noon on the final day of the Hoopsville National Invitational Classic.