By Aaron Johnson (@voz_aaron1) – Spear Reporter | Sophomore guard Latrell Davis (5) and senior guard Steven Vasquez (bottom) celebrate after a made 3-point shot by Vasquez. (photo by Evan Weiss – KSJS photographer)
After a 89-65 win against Kennesaw State (7-5), San Jose State (7-6, 0-1 MW) has a winning record for the first time this season. San Jose State is now 6-1 in its last seven games after starting 1-5.
The Spartans are hot heading into conference play.
“When we were 1-5 the goal was to get to the holidays with a winning record,” head coach Tim Miles said. “I think the guys looked at me like I was crazy.”
A team of eight transfers got off to a slow start, but now are developing chemistry on the court.
“I don’t even think we’ve scratched the surface to where we can really be, It’s really exciting,” senior forward Josh Uduje said. “Each game we’re getting better and better. We’re looking more as a unit. It looks fluid.”
Uduje was the team’s leading scorer with 22 points, which added to his team leading 17.6 points per game.
Sophomore guard Latrell Davis had the play of the game as he made a half court buzzer beater to end the first half.
“It’s a shot I shoot in practice randomly just messing around,” Davis said. “I was like ‘If I get this I’m throwing it up and it’s going in’. I kept telling myself that.”
Davis had 20 points on the game making it two consecutive games with him scoring 20 or more, the first time this happened in his career.
Davis once again showed off his ability to draw fouls as he drew four on the game, including one on a three-point make. After Davis missed the free throw, graduate student forward Sadaidriene Hall would get the rebound and get the ball to Uduje who would find Davis in the corner for another three.
Davis’ three made 3-point shots was a career high.
“I like where (Davis) is at mentally and how hard he’s playing,” Miles said. “Whether he’s coming off the bench or starting, he’s accepted whatever role we put in front of him.”
Hall has made a huge impact for the Spartans during their hot streak and against Kennesaw State he put up a double-double scoring 17 points and nabbed a team leading 14 rebounds. Hall also saw the most playing time for any Spartan with 32 minutes.
“(Hall) has been in college four years and has been a great scorer throughout all of that time,” Uduje said. “He does so much defensively out there being in gaps, he grabs rebounds and he looked a bit Carmelo Anthony-esque out there with his step back and mid range shots.”
Hall was also a perfect three-for-three from beyond the arc.
The Spartans defense played well only allowing the Owls to shoot 31% from the field. They also limited the production of Owls freshman guard Adrian Wooley who coming into the game was the Owls leading scorer.
Wooley shot 2-12 from the field and only scored seven points.
The Spartans dominated the Owls in almost every major statistical category except for rebounding as they were outrebounded 51-37.
Senior guard Steven Vasquez helped spark a 12-0 Spartans run at the end of the first half after making two 3-point shots and coming up with two steals.
“I think that opened up the game for us,” Uduje said. “I’m sure they probably didn’t have him on their scouting report. That goes to show what our team is about. Anybody can show up on any day.”
The Spartans now look ahead to conference play in a tough Mountain West. Their first test will be against Boise State (9-3, 1-0 MW) at 2 p.m on Dec. 28.
“I’ve been an underdog team in this conference before, so I think having that underdog mentality is something which can take a team really far,” Uduje said. “It’s exciting. I can’t speculate on what’s going to happen in conference play but, I think our chances are good.”
