The Panthers picked up an impressive non-conference home victory over the weekend on Saturday over Spoon River, 80-68.

Kyren Gardner, Manny Rodriguez, and Matas Deksnys combined for 61 points and 10 three-pointers on 23-of-45 shooting (51%).

Gardner dazzled with his ability to slash toward the basket and had a highlight-reel slam dunk in the second half.

"Kyren is an exceptional athlete. His explosiveness and strength combined with his ability to get downhill help jumpstart our offense," head coach Jon Rush said.

The ability to take over in half-court sets and transition has allowed the Panthers to handle all opposing defenses. 

Gardner has totaled 51 points on 22-of-31 shooting (71%) in his last three games. Never forcing the situation, Gardner takes intelligent and high-percentage shots.

Rodriguez (15.7 PPG) has been a lethal outside shooter, and leading a talented group of scorers on an improving Panther squad has been a joy to watch.

Never afraid of the situation, the star guard slices apart defenses. Having a floater and mid-range game allows other Panthers to find open looks. He added a game-high seven assists, which allowed the Panthers to hold a double-digit lead for most of the matchup.

Deksnys picked a great day to feast on the opposition during their Saturday victory. The southpaw posted 20 points and six rebounds in 36 minutes.

The experienced performer started on fire for the Panthers. Posting an early 11-0 run set the tempo in favor of the Panthers. It helped them maintain control the rest of the way.

"All three sophomores (Manny, Matas, Kyren) have the experience and ability. It comes down to us having proper spacing and pace for those things to show consistently," Rush said.

Their momentum turned into a 19-3 lead at the 11:08 mark of the first half. Plus, they only allowed one field goal in the opening seven minutes. 

Winning the battle on the backboard stood out in the victory. The Panthers were plus-8 boards and only allowed four offensive rebounds to Spoon River. While the victory was imminent, the Panthers led by 12 at the break and ended up winning by the same margin. 

"It is a combination of us taking care of the ball and not letting the other team score with the clock stopped. We have to find ways to guard without fouling," Rush said.

Catching fire in January and playing winning basketball has been a joy for Panther nation. If you miss any future home games in person, follow the team on our Facebook page and Youtube. Also, check out GoMCPanthers.com and our social media pages @McAthletics1924 for more upcoming featured recaps, previews, quotes, and all the latest news for Panther hoops.