PDF: Men of Mackey-Heartfire stats
Behind 32 points from University of Washington alum Justin Dentmon and a walk-off putback by Purdue's Isaac Haas, the Men of Mackey stunned Heartfire 85-79 at The Basketball Tournament Sunday evening.
The Purdue-centric Men of Mackey came out fast against Heartfire, leading the collection of players from Michigan State, Baylor and others 21-10.
But a 16-0 Heartfire run gave it a lead that endured until "the Elam ending," when the clock is turned off at the four-minute mark and a target score set. It was 85, and Heartfire led 79-74 to begin the decisive final four minutes.
Men of Mackey closed on a 12-0 run, and putbacks by Jacquil Taylor and Haas delivered the win Dentmon set up.
Heartfire didn't score after Isaiah Austin's bucket with 3:51 to play.
"It was us communicating and finding that will Inside," Haas said of the defensive finish, which included Austin going quiet in crunch time when faced with Haas. "We talked a lot, kept each other informed on everything that was going on on the court. So when they started going to the same stuff every time down the court, we were able to defend it well and force them into bad shots."
The Carbondale, Ill., native — the player on this team Matt Painter said he's known longer than any who actually played for him — was 10-of-18 from the floor and made six three-pointers, the last of them a step-back triple during the Elam ending that put Men of Mackey in an especially plum position.
"Early on I was struggling a little bit, but once I saw it go in, got to the foul line and saw it go in, I knew it would start falling," Dentmon said. "... I started taking my time and stopped thinking. I made the first one and the basket got a little wider. When I (banked one in) I knew that It was starting to get going. I was able to get hot and stay hot and we pulled out the win."
Among Purdue alums, Haas scored 11 points with 10 rebounds, and Evan Boudreaux scored eight points.
Heartfire featured former Baylor standout Isaiah Austin and Tweety Carter, former Michigan State players Branden Dawson and Brandon Wood, ex-Xavier star Mark Lyons, former Pitt big man Gary McGhee and other notable names. It was coached Sunday night by former Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy, filling in for Homer Drew.
Men of Mackey will now face Boeheim's Army Tuesday afternoon.
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