Toros Won’t Repeat as D-League Champions

The Austin Toros lost to the rival Colorado 14ers last night 114-111, ending their quest to repeat as D-League Champions. In a repeat of the teams’ previous meetings, the winner had to overcome a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter and the Toros’ superior shooting in the paint was matched by the 14ers superior shooting from the outside. The 14ers were 12 of 22 from 3 point territory while the Toros were only 5 of 16.

Marcus Williams had 33 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists for a triple-double while Malik Hairston had a game-high 37 points. Both players were on the floor all 48 minutes of the game.

The 14ers’ scoring was led by Sonny Weems who popped in 27 from the bench. The 14ers await the winner of Dakota versus Utah on Monday for the D-League 3 game playoff.

Congratulations to the Austin Toros for another great season of basketball.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Toros Defeat Stampede, Advance in Playoffs

The Austin Toros brought back painful memories for the Idaho Stampede tonight, winning 119-116 in Overtime to advance in the D-League playoffs. The Toros defeated the Stampede last year in the playoffs to win the D-League Championship.

The Toros needed to recover 18 points in the 4th Quarter to tie the game at 113. 

Marcus Williams returned to the Toros from a short stint with the San Antonio Spurs to net 33 while Malik Hairston led the team in scoring with 34.  Williams scored the three pointer to put the game into Overtime and the final basket to put the game away. Combined, Williams and Hairston were 10 of 11 from 3 point territory. Nearly 1000 fans packed the Concordia University Fieldhouse for the nail-biter.

The Toros now take to the road to take on the rival Colorado 14ers, who defeated the Erie Bayhawks yesterday to advance. The matchup date has not yet been announced.

Update: The matchup date has been announced and will be this Saturday night at 8 PM CST in Colorado. Visit the D-League website for information on watching the game live on the web.

Austin Toros Rematch Idaho Stampede in Playoffs

The Austin Toros were the one team without a choice yesterday afternoon - the last of the four teams allowed to select their first round opponent for the D-League playoffs that begin tomorrow. After the Erie Bayhawks, Bakersfield Jam, and Dakota Wizards were chosen by the Colorado 14ers, Utah Flash, and Iowa Energy respectively, the Toros were left with the fifth-ranked Idaho Stampede, a rematch of last year’s D-League finals.

The first round of the playoffs is single-elimination - the Toros will play the Stampede on Wednesday night at 7:30 PM at Concordia University. Tickets are available now by calling 236-8333.

The Toros played the Idaho Stampede twice this season and lost both games - 105 to 94 on December 5 at home and 97 to 94 on January 3 in Idaho. The Toros put together nine straight victories against opposition in between those two games.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Toros Drop Three In A Row, Quin Snyder Frustrated

For the first time this season the Austin Toros have dropped three in a row and again are tied for first place with the Colorado 14ers. The star-power that has moved to the NBA was exemplified by Pops Mensah-Bonsu’s signing to the Toronto Raptors for the remained of the 2008-2009 season. The team is now being led by Marcus Williams, who scored 27 Saturday night, and Eric Dawson, who followed Thursday’s 39 point outburst with an 8 point effort. The Toros fell to the sub-.500 Reno Bighorns 100-84.

The Toros could muster only 39% from the floor including 4 of 14 from the bench. The frustration came through Head Coach Quin Snyder who received two technical fouls in the second half. The Toros had only two losses in all of February.

The Austin Toros’ lone homegame in March is Tuesday night against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants who are 1-3 during their current road trip.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Austin Toros Extend First Place Lead in Southwest Division

The Austin Toros continue to roll, extending their winning streak to four games after winning the last three games in the month of February. The Toros took two at home from the Albuquerque Thunderbirds 106-101 and 117-111, then won at the Tulsa 66ers 89-83 last night. Their Southwest division lead continues to grow on the idle Colorado 14ers who they meet for the last time in the regular season Wednesday at Colorado. The Toros won seven of their nine games in February and haven’t lost two games in a row since early January.

March will be a real test for the Toros as they play all but one game on the road, Tuesday March 10 against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Pops Goes Off on 14ers, Toros Take First

The Austin Toros defeated the Colorado 14ers yesterday 131-124 in Overtime to return to first place in the Southwest Division. Pops Mensah-Bonsu scored 39 points and Marcus Williams had 30 as the Toros recovered from a twelve point deficit at the half to tie the game in regulation and then outscore the visiting 14ers 18 to 11 in Overtime.

Mensah-Bonsu was 13 of 16 from the free throw line and the Toros got an amazing 42 chances as a result of penalties. The 14ers, on the other hand, continue to have success in 3 point territory against the Toros, making 15 of 31 attempts. The Toros were 2 of 11 from outside the paint.

The Toros next play the Albuquerque Thunderbirds three times in their next five games. Albuquerque has been on a tear lately, winning their last five. The Toros have won all four of their previous meetings. The Toros play Colorado for the last time in the regular season Wednesday, March 4. The Toros have won four of their six meetings.

Toros Split Last Two Games of Road Trip

The Austin Toros have been away from home for nearly a month but have continued to tear up the D-League going 6-2 after beating Los Angeles with a buzzer beater on Tuesday and then losing to Bakersfield last night.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu was the hero when he buried a twenty one foot jumpshot with less than a second to go against the Los Angeles D-Fenders. The Toros won 110-108.

Thursday night was plagued by poor shooting from the floor for the Toros and a tenacious team effort from the surging Bakersfield Jam. The Jam won last night 102-97.

The Toros are finally home for a three game homestand beginning Sunday against the persistent Colorado 14ers, currently leading the Toros by win percentage in the Southwest Division. These two teams continue to match each other win for win and the heads-up battles take on even more import now that we are in the second half of the season. The Toros host the Albuquerque Thunderbirds on Tuesday and Thursday.

Austin Toros Pick Up Where they Left Off

The Austin Toros returned from the D-League All-Star break for the last three games of an eight game road trip. The Toros picked up where they left off defeating the Anaheim Arsenal 101-92.

The Toros have won five of the six games on the road trip so far but need to win to keep up with the Colorado 14ers who are one half game behind the Toros in the Southwest Division. The Toros are 10-2 on the road this season.

The Toros were led offensively by Marcus Williams with 34 points and 4 assists. Pops Mensah-Bonsu had a monster game against the boards with 18 rebounds and 26 points of his own. Carldell ‘Squeaky’ Johnson returned from injury to play 39 minutes and contribute 12 points. Johnson was only 4 of 13 from the floor but 3 of 4 from 3 point territory. If the shot is hard, he’ll make it. Close in? Not so much.

The Toros play again tonight against the dastardly Los Angeles D-Fenders and Thursday against the lowly Bakersfield Jam. They return home Sunday to host the Colorado 14ers in what is becoming the cream-of-the-crop rivalry in the Southwest Division.

The Austin Toros host a Basketball Skills Competition at the 2009 Texas Testosterone Festival. More details as they are available.

Toros play only 8, it’s enough to win

The Austin Toros had only eight healthy bodies to play against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers yesterday afternoon, but it was more than enough. The Toros outscored the Vipers by 16 points in the second quarter and held on for victory even after the Vipers recovered from a 20 point deficit in the third quarter. The Toros won 92-85.

Eric Dawson and Pops Mensah-Bonsu scored 45 points between the two of them, leading all scorers.

The Colorado 14ers continue to lead the Southwest Division of the D-League, having won 5 in a row. The Toros are in the midst of a slow point in the season, next playing a week from tonight in Anaheim and the following night in Los Angeles against teams quite sufficiently below .500. The 14ers face the lowly Tulsa 66ers Wednesday.

Toros Can’t Figure Out 14ers

While the Austin Toros have dominated nearly every other team in the D-League this season, the one team they can’t seem to figure out is the Colorado 14ers. Currently sharing first place (the 14ers have the edge having played two less games), the two teams have battled night in and night out. A recent two night back-to-back game homestand had each team giving and then recovering from massive leads - first the Toros, then the 14ers.

Last night’s game between the two teams had a different script, the two teams battling basket-for-basket throughout, but the 14ers pulled out a 121-119 victory, tying for first place with the mighty Toros.

Marcus Williams and Pops Mensah-Bonsu led the Toros for 31 and 30 points respectively. The team was 84% from the free throw line.

The Toros next play Sunday against the lowly Rio Grande Valley Vipers while the 14ers will continue to try for first place in the division, a tougher task ahead awaits in the Bakersfield Jam.

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