2017 OVC Men's Basketball Championship - First Round

3/1/2017 8:30:50 AM

#5 SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 78, #8 TENNESSEE STATE 75
NASHVILLE - Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Denzel Mahoney scored 34 points and fellow freshman Tahj Eaddy made a 3-pointer with two seconds left in overtime to lead Southeast Missouri (15-17) to a 78-75 come-from-behind win in the first round of the OVC Tournament Wednesday.

Eaddy, who struggled offensively, went 1-of-8 from the field before burying the game-winning shot.

A native of West Haven, Connecticut, Eaddy was able to get his shot off after Jonathan Dalton pushed the ball up the court immediately after Ken'Darrius Hamilton buried a 3-pointer to tie the game at 75-75 with seven seconds.

Jamaal Calvin stole the ball on the game's final possession right after Eaddy's shot went through the basket.

TSU led by 14 points after Christian Mekowulu converted a 3-point play to make it 44-30 with 17:10 remaining in the second half.

SEMO battled all the way back and made it a one-possession contest on seven occasions before finally taking a 63-62 edge on Antonius Cleveland's jumper with 37 seconds in regulation. Cleveland was also fouled on the play and added a free throw to put the Redhawks up two.

Armani Chaney's free throws tied the game at 64-64 with 27 seconds on the clock before Cleveland missed a 3-pointer with two ticks left sending the game to an extra period.

Despite being whistled for seven fouls in an eight-minute stretch, SEMO managed to build an eight-point lead early on. Mahoney buried a 3-pointer to grab the Redhawks a 16-8 advantage with 12:15 left to play in the first half.

Cleveland exited the game when he picked up his second foul just 16 seconds later. TSU was also in the bonus with 11:59 remaining as a result of the Redhawks foul trouble.

With Cleveland on the bench, TSU heated up to make five-straight shots, including four from downtown. Chaney accounted for three of those treys during an 8-0 run in 1:40. His third 3-pointer put the Tigers ahead, 24-21, immediately after Tahjere McCall drove the lane and scored to tie the game.

TSU went on to take a 34-28 lead at the half.

Mahoney led all scorers with 13 first-half points. Cleveland was limited to just nine minutes and TSU shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the field in the opening stanza.

TSU began the second half on a 10-2 run with eight of its points coming on layups leading to the Tigers 14-point advantage.

Mahoney shot 8-of-19 from the field, made four 3-pointers and went a near-perfect 14-of-15 at the free throw line en route to his career-high effort. He made his first 14 free throws of the game and became the first SEMO player to score 34 or more points in a game since Tyler Stone had 37 at SIUE on Feb. 6, 2014. Mahoney also had five rebounds.

Cleveland followed with 16 points and six boards, while Eaddy added 10 points. Eaddy made four big free throws, as well.

SEMO forced 27 turnovers and scored 23 points off those miscues.

Wayne Martin led TSU with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Tigers outrebounded the Redhawks, 49-30, and had 15 offensive boards.

#7 MURRAY STATE 85, #6 TENNESSEE TECH 84
NASHVILLE (AP) - Jonathan Stark scored a career high 41 points, and his 3-pointer with six seconds left in the second overtime gave Murray State an 85-84 win over Tennessee Tech in an opening round game of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Wednesday night.

Tennessee Tech's Hakeem Rogers missed a 3-pointer with a second left to end the game.

Murray State (15-16) overcame late-game heroics by Kajon Mack who scored all nine of the Golden Eagles' points in the first overtime. He made one of two foul shots with 69 seconds left to tie it at 71, and Stark missed a 3 at the buzzer for the Racers.

At the end of regulation, with the Racers leading 62-60 trying to kill the clock, Tennessee Tech's Curtis Phillips grabbed a loose ball and fed Mack who drove the lane and flushed a two-hand jam with a second left to force overtime.

Stark was 15-for-40 shooting including 6 for 12 from 3, Terrell Miller had 14 points and 12 rebounds, Bryce Jones and Jalen Dupree each scored 12 with Dupree grabbing 11 boards. Gee McGhee had 12 rebounds.

Rogers had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Mack 17, Phillips 16 and 10 boards, Aleksa Jugovic scored 15 and Mason Ramsey 13 for Tennessee Tech (12-20).