SUNDAY'S SCORES
@SIUE 104, Robert Morris-Springfield 56
@Southeast Missouri 94, Harris-Stowe 66
@Butler 67,
Belmont 56
SIUE 104, ROBERT MORRIS-SPRINGFIELD 56
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Seven players scored in double figures Sunday as SIUE men's basketball closed out the nonconference schedule with a convincing 104-56 win over Robert Morris-Springfield at the Vadalabene Center.
SIUE (4-7) has now won three straight games and has held all three opponents to fewer than 60 points. Robert Morris-Springfield fell to 5-7 with the loss.
Donivine Stewart led the Cougars with 22 points, 18 of which came in a near-perfect first half. Stewart was 7 for 7 from the field, including 4 for 4 from three-point range during the first 20 minutes. Stewart swiped a steal and then banked home an off-balance three-pointer as the halftime buzzer sounded, sending SIUE to the locker room with a 30-point advantage (55-25).
During the second half, the Cougars' lead dipped below 30 points only three times and did not fall below 40 over the game's final 6:46.
SIUE's bench kicked in a season-high 41 points and four players established new career highs in scoring. C.J. Carr (12), Grant Fiorentinos (12), Jalen Henry (11), and Jake Newton (11) each set a new personal best in points scored. Henry, who was 9 for 13 from the free throw line, added a career-high seven rebounds to lead the Cougars. Jake Newton chipped in a career-best seven assists. Carr collected six assists.
Stewart played 27 minutes, while Davis played just 21 minutes and scored 11 points (all in the first half).
The Cougars turned in season highs in assists (24) and steals (14).
Robert Calmese led the Eagles with 23 points and eight rebounds. Brandel Griggs scored 10 points in the loss.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 94, HARRIS-STOWE 66
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri (6-7) forced a season-high 29 turnovers and shot over 50 percent from the field en route to a 94-66 win over Harris-Stowe (2-7) Sunday afternoon at the Show Me Center.
In a game that featured four ties and 10 lead changes, Southeast put together a big second half to sting the Hornets and end a three-game losing streak.
The Redhawks heated up to shoot 59.5 percent (22-of-37) in the second half, where HSU committed 17 of its miscues against a stifling Southeast defense.
Southeast led by just three points with 16:53 remaining before putting together a 14-2 run off six turnovers in a span of 3:12. Freshman Marcus Wallace came off the bench to get two of his game-high five steals during that stretch. Aaron Adeoye scored six points over the run which was capped by a Josh Langford dunk, as the Redhawks opened a 55-40 lead at the 12:46 mark.
Southeast's lead never fell below double figures from that point.
Another big run, this time a 13-1 jaunt, pushed the Redhawks lead over 20. Langford contributed two more buckets, while Adeoye, Nino Johnson, Isiah Jones, Ladarius Coleman and T.J. Thomas also scored to give Southeast an 81-55 lead with 5:13 on the clock. Sikeston native and walk-on J.T. Jones knocked down a three-pointer with 18 seconds left to put the 94-66 win on ice.
Antonius Cleveland made three of Southeast's first five field goals and J.J. Thompson scored the game's first basket to give the Redhawks their first lead in 98:26 of basketball. Cleveland helped lift Southeast to an early four-point edge before Bradley's three-pointer gave the Redhawks a six-point advantage at 21-15 with 10:23 left to play.
Tony Flagg knocked down a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions to regain a 24-22 lead for HSU at the 7:34 mark. Moments after Cleveland split a pair of free throws to bring the game to its third tie (29-29), Southeast used a 7-2 run in the last 2:54 to take a 36-31 lead at the half.
Bradley converted a three-point play, Cleveland made two free throws and Wallace threw down a dunk during the surge that gave Southeast its seventh halftime lead this season.
All 12 Redhawks got in the scorebook, with Adeoye paving the way with 16 points. Adeoye did not miss a field goal, going 6-of-6 in 16 minutes. Cleveland and Bradley followed with 13 points each, while Wallace pitched in a season-high 11 points in 27 minutes. All of Cleveland's points were in the first half. Johnson finished with a game-high four blocks, as well.
Southeast scored 44 points off turnovers and 54 inside the paint. In addition, the Redhawks collected a season-best 13 steals and added 20 second chance points.
Trevor Roberts led HSU with 19 points and Jalen Fletcher had a double-double 17 points and 12 rebounds.
BUTLER 67, BELMONT 56
INDIANAPOLIS - Belmont University men's basketball dropped a 67-56 decision at Butler Sunday night.
The Bruins (8-5) showcased their trademark, free-flowing offense in the first half, making six of their first 10 three-point field goals in building an early 11-point lead.
But Butler battled back thanks to 14 second chance points to lead 39-38 at halftime.
A defensive, grind-it-out game developed in the second half. The Bruins got within six late and had several promising looks dip off that could have trimmed it to a one possession game.
Butler scored the final five points of the game.
Nine Bruins scored, led by Craig Bradshaw's 11 points.