THURSDAY'S SCORES
Morehead State 88, Chattanooga 75 (Las Vegas, Nev.)
MOREHEAD STATE 88, CHATTANOOGA 75
LAS VEGAS - The Morehead State men's basketball team posted its highest field-goal percentage in 11 years en route to an 88-75 victory over Chattanooga on Thursday afternoon at Orleans Arena.
The Eagles drilled 72 percent from the floor (34-of-47), including 83 percent (19-of-23) after halftime. MSU's game percentage was its best since canning a school-record 74 percent on Nov. 30, 2002.
Morehead State, which plays in the Ohio Valley Conference, improves to 6-2 overall. Chattanooga, which competes in the Southern Conference slips to 2-5 on the year. The Thanksgiving Day meeting was the first ever between Morehead State and Chattanooga.
The contest was part of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational, which also includes UCLA, Missouri, Northwestern, Nevada, IUPUI and Gardner-Webb.
Junior Angelo Warner led the Eagles with 22 points, while junior Billy Reader chipped in with 21, junior Kareem Storey tallied 16 and senior Chad Posthumus recorded 11. The scoring performances for Reader and Storey were their best in eight games at Morehead State.
Warner canned 10-of-12 from the field, while Reader knocked down 9-of-11 and Storey swished 6-of-7. The Eagles also drilled 72 percent from the free-throw line (18-of-25).
Morehead State registered a 29-22 rebounding advantage. The Eagles have yet to be outrebounded in eight contests this season. MSU also managed the upper hand in paint points (58-24), fast-break points (12-4), bench points (25-18), steals (9-6) and blocked shots (2-0).
Morehead State controlled the game throughout and opened up its biggest lead of 21 points with 5:24 to play. Chattanooga's largest advantage of two points came just 93 seconds in.
Senior Z. Mason led the Mocs with a game-best 23 points on 8-of-10 from the floor and six rebounds. Chattanooga sophomore Gee McGhee was credited with a game-high five assists.
Morehead State continues to build on its school-record win total in November. In 84 previous years, the Eagles had never won five games in the season's first month. MSU has already secured six victories with a chance at one more before it leaves Las Vegas on Saturday.