Fort Wayne 112, Utah 96K

OREM, Utah, Jan. 11 -- Earl Calloway and Corey Minnifield combined for 52 points for Forty Wayne as the Mad Ants downed the Utah Flash 112-96 in NBA Development League action Friday night at the McKay Events Center.

“They (Calloway and Minnifield) have carried us,” Fort Wayne coach Kent Davison said. “Earl is a tough guy to guard in the pick and roll, and Corey is our go-to guy. When he's hot, we have to make sure we get the ball into his hands.”

Calloway led the way for the Ants with 27 points, shooting 9-for-10 from the free throw line to add to the Mad Ants' 93-percent night at the charity stripe (27-of-29). Fort Wayne forward Minnifield complemented his guard's point total with 25 of his own.

Utah Jazz assignee Kyrylo Fesenko recorded his first double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Flash. Andre Ingram and John Millsap added 15 points apiece. But the 22 turnovers Utah committed Friday turned into 34 points for the Mad Ants.

Fort Wayne also held its fifth consecutive opponent below 100 points.

“We lost a game 135-129 six games ago, and at that particular time we realized we had to change our style of play,” Davison said. “When our guys have bought into what we have asked them to do defensively, it has been successful -- and fun to watch.”

Ron Howard added 18 points for the Ants, while Walker Russell and Roderick Wilmont chipped in 18 and 16 points, respectively, from the bench.

Guard Kevin Kruger chipped in 15 points and had eight assists for the Flash. Britton Johnsen recorded 10 points in his Utah Flash debut after being acquired in a trade with Bakersfield on Jan. 10.

Fort Wayne improved to 8-9 and the Flash dipped to 10-8 in front of 5,133 fans. The Mad Ants travel to Idaho on Saturday to take on the Stampede, while the Flash meet the Bakersfield Jam on Monday in the first game of the D-League Showcase in Boise, Idaho.