MELBOURNE United have slammed what could be the final nail in Illawarra's playoffs coffin, dishing out a 113-89 pasting to the Hawks on Wednesday night.
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The visitors trailed by just eight at halftime only to be blown off the floor in a 37-17 third quarter, conceding a staggering 93 points by three-quarter-time.
The hosts took their foot off the gas in the fourth but the damage was done.
Todd Blanchfield played a lone hand for the visitors with 22 points, with AJ Ogilvy, Cedric Jackson and Brian Conklin all finishing with 10 points.
As forecast by Hawks coach Rob Beveridge in the pre-game, Casper Ware led the charge for United with 25 points and four assists.
Swingman DJ Kennedy finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds in an impressive double-double, while veteran Dave Barlow was razor-sharp from three-point range, shooting 5-9 from deep in his 15 points.
Mitch McCarron also had 17 points, while Chris Goulding chimed in with 13 after starting from the bench. Alex Pledger and Josh Boone had 10 points each, the latter also grabbing 12 boards.
It was United's biggest ever score at Melbourne Arena – their 93 points through three quarters also a league high this season – and saw the defending champions reclaim the competition lead.
It sees Rob Beveridge's men drop to 10-12 on the season and leaves them little more than a mathematical chance of seeing post-season action.
They play four of their final six games against the bottom two sides – including Saturday's Australia Day clash with Cairns in Canberra – with two tough road assignments against Perth and Brisbane.
They will likely need to win all six games to reach the playoffs, making the climb astronomically steep.
The match was a shootout early, with Barlow and Kevin White both knocking down a pair of threes each.
Boone had four points in an inside duel with Conklin who also had four. Blanchfield also had six as the visitors grabbed a 16-11 lead.
McCarron pegged it back with a three and a slam to take the lead. Pledger and Kennedy also had four each on a 12-2 run to close the term at 27-20.
Kennedy had a three-point play early in the second before Emmett Naar and Ware traded threes. Goulding chimed in with back-to-back triples as the lead swelled to 15, forcing Beveridge into a timeout.
Barlow and White resumed their long-range duel with a three each on a 7-2 run to the Hawks that saw Vickerman call timeout with the margin back in single digits.
Blanchfield came out of it hot with two triples and a lay-up, though Barlow continued his perfect night from deep with two triples.
Ware also cashed in from deep at the hosts took a 58-50 lead into the main break. The lead quickly shot past double figures on threes from McCarron and Barlow to start the third term.
McCarron had an and-one on an 14-3 run to start the third as the lead quickly went out to 19. A three-point play from Ware saw it balloon further to 22.
Blanchfield continued to find his openings at the offensive end with six points in an entertaining duel with Goulding, who had four in response with the margin a handy 26 at the final break.
The Hawks showed some fight in the fourth but it was far too little, far too late.