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G League Austin Spurs

Toros Defeat RimRockers 120-101

January 27, 2006 - NBA G League (G League)
Austin Spurs News Release


AUSTIN, TEXAS - After struggling from the field for most of the first half against the Arkansas RimRockers, the Austin Toros exploded for 39 points in the third quarter and cruised to the 120-101 win against the RimRockers in the Austin Convention Center.

Austin put the game out of reach in the third quarter finishing the stanza on a 26-6 run. Austin guards Ezra Williams and Ramel Curry were huge during the game-changing run netting eight and ten points respectively in the quarter.

The Toros shot 60.5 percent (26-for-43) in the second half to finish with a season-high 120 points.

"We didn't do anything differently in the second half except turn up the aggressiveness on the defensive end of the floor," said Austin head coach Dennis Johnson. "Once we were able to step it up defensively and space the floor on the offensive end, things began to happen a lot easier for us."

Austin forward Marcus Fizer led seven Toros in double figures with a game-high 24 points and six rebounds. Curry chipped in with 19 points while Williams added 15 points.

Derrick Zimmerman, Alex Scales and Andre Emmett all recorded 14 points as the Toros shot 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from 3-point land.

Brian Jackson paced Arkansas (12-12) with 22 points and 12 rebounds. James Lang chipped in with 19 points and three rebounds while Donta Smith added 17 points.

Arkansas committed seven more (15-8) turnovers than did the Toros with many coming in the pivotal third quarter.

"We just didn't match their intensity," said Arkansas head coach Joe Harge. "They came out in the second half and did some things that picked up their game. We needed to match their intensity in order to have a chance and we didn't."

Both teams came out early on attempting to establish a presence in the low post.

Lang was huge in the paint early on scoring nine of the Rimrockers' first 17 points.

Austin matched Lang's intensity in the paint with solid play from Toros big men Fizer and Scott Merritt. Trailing by six points through the first seven minutes of the game, Fizer and Merritt kept pace with Lang combining for nine of Austin's first 11 points.

Lang finished the first half with 11 points and three rebounds while Fizer (8) and Merritt (7) combined for 15 low post points.

Leading by just four points to open the second quarter, Arkansas opened up a ten point lead behind Jackson's ten point second quarter off the bench. But Austin closed the gap to six points (55-49) going into the locker room knocking down free throws to close out the half.

Arkansas shot 56.1 percent from the field in the first half and was sparked by Smith's 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting from the field.

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