THURSDAY'S SCORES
@Austin Peay 88, Eastern Illinois 83
Morehead State 69, @Jacksonville State 67
@Murray State 82, SIUE 72
@Tennessee Tech 72, Eastern Kentucky 66
@Belmont 73, Tennessee State 71
AUSTIN PEAY 88, EASTERN ILLINOIS 83
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Ed Dyson recorded his career’s first double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds and Travis Betran added 23 points, including four key free throws in the final 30 seconds, to lift Austin Peay State University to an 88-83 win against Eastern Illinois, Thursday night, in Ohio Valley Conference play in the Dunn Center.
The victory improves the Govs to 11-14 overall and 5-6 in the OVC, remaining solidly in the hunt for a league tournament berth. Eastern Illinois, meanwhile, falls to 9-16 overall and 6-7 in the OVC.
With point guard Damarius Smith out for his second straight game with an ankle injury and leading scorer/rebounder Chris Horton (four points, 3 rebounds) struggling through his season’s worst performance, it was the Govs wings—the junior Dyson and the senor Betran--who came up big.
They combined for 12-of-15 floor shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range. It was Dyson’s fourth straight double-figure scoring game, including a pair of 20-point outings. Betran, meanwhile, tallied his seventh 20-point outing this season and 18th of his career.
The Governors, who jumped out to a 22-9 lead and never trailed in the first half, saw Eastern Illinois take an early second-half lead, 41-40, when Sherman Blanford scored on a layup—it was two of the senior’s career-high 32 points to go with 18 rebounds. The Govs immediately reclaimed the lead on a Will Triggs layup and pushed it out to a seven-point advantage on Zavion Williams layup and back-to-back Dyson layups.
Eastern Illinois hung close, slicing the lead to four before Betran and Dyson combined for a 7-0 run—Betran sandwiched a three pointer and lane jumper off a double screen around another Dyson layup—to give APSU a 59-48 advantage with 10:28 left.
EIU again cut the deficit to seven with 9:11 left before back-to-back threes by Williams and Betran again made it a 13-point game. The game remained mostly in double digits much of the way until the final minute when EIU began finding the three-point range and the Governors clanked free throw after free throw. In fact, the Govs missed 7-of-9 free throws in a 30-second span while Dylan Chatman hit back-to-back three pointers followed by teammate Jake Verhagen’s three. That left EIU down by three, 82-79, with 31 seconds left.
But the Govs finally found their best free-throw shooter, Betran, who calmly made four straight in an eight-second span, offsetting a Chatman layup. When Serigne Mboup blocked Blanford’s shot with seven seconds left and was subsequently fouled, the Govs finally put away the stubborn Panthers.
In addition to Dyson and Betran’s 20-point outings, Williams added 15 points and Triggs 10. The Govs finished the night shooting 56.8 percent (25 of 44), including 7-of-10 from three-point range. After going perfect (12 of 12) in the free-throw line in the first half, the Govs were just 19 of 33 (57.6 percent) in the final half.
Chatman matched his career high with 19 points while dishing seven assists. The Panthers bounced back from a 11-of-27 first-half shooting performance to connect on 20-of-36 (55.6 percent) in the second half.
MOREHEAD STATE 69, JACKSONVILLE STATE 67
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The Morehead State men's basketball knocked down its first 19 free-throw attempts in the second half, posted a 38-26 rebounding advantage and held on for a 69-67 Ohio Valley Conference victory over Jacksonville State on Thursday evening at Mathews Coliseum.
The Eagles, who have won nine of their last 12 contests, improve to 17-9 overall, 8-3 in the league and 8-5 on the road. The Gamecocks, who have lost eight of their last 11, slip to 10-17 overall, 4-8 in the conference and 7-4 at home. The win also moves MSU to 19-8 in the all-time series against JSU.
Morehead State drilled 79 percent (26-of-33) from the charity stripe, including 83 percent (24-of-29) in the second half. The Eagles posted a 10-point edge from the foul line.
Morehead State, which leads the conference in total rebounds, offensive boards and rebounding margin, started with a 9-2 advantage on the glass and never looked back. The Eagles tallied a 21-14 edge in the opening stanza and 15-8 upper hand in second-chance points for the affair.
Senior Drew Kelly paced MSU with 19 points on 7-of-11 from the field, while junior Angelo Warner added 16 points. Warner, who has played in 90 career games, needs just seven more points for 1,000. Kelly, who has played in 115 career contests, needs only 59 more for the same feat.
Senior Chad Posthumus, who leads the nation in rebounds per game, pulled down a game-best 11. It was his 18th double-figure effort this season and the 24th of his career. Sophomore Brent Arrington made 9-of-10 from the free-throw stripe in the second half for all of his points.
Freshman Undra Mitchem led a balanced Jacksonville State scoring attack with 13 points. Three other Gamecocks reached the 10-point plateau. Junior D.J. Felder collected a team-high seven rebounds for JSU, while two of his teammates registered three assists apiece.
Jacksonville State turned 19 Morehead State turnovers into 24 points, while the Eagles recorded just five points on 11 Gamecock miscues. JSU also managed a 13-6 edge in fast-break points.
Morehead State led for the first 19 minutes of the game. Jacksonville State used a 12-0 run late in the first half to snatch a 27-25 advantage heading into the locker room at intermission.
The contest's sixth-and-final tie was at 51 with 8:16 to play. The Eagles then manufactured a 5-0 spurt to go up by two possessions. JSU got no closer than two points the rest of the way.
Morehead State continues to build on its best season since 2010-11. The Eagles tallied just 15 total victories and four road wins last year. MSU also stays in third place overall in the OVC.
MURRAY STATE 82, SIUE 72
MURRAY, Ky. - The Murray State Racers clinched their 27th straight winning season Thursday with an 82-72 win over the SIU Edwardsville Cougars at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.
The Racers (15-9) moved to 10-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference and pushed their home winning streak to nine.
MSU got a double-double from Jarvis Williams for the 12th time this season on 19 points and 12 rebounds and Cameron Payne scored 17 points to go with five assists. Jeffery Moss had his 14th double-digit scoring game this season with 15 points. T.J. Sapp was a rebound from a double-double and scored 14 points.
Trailing early 14-6 4:40 into the contest, the Racers hit a burst. Moss cut across the lane and Sapp went coast-to-coast for a score. Dexter Fields hit a long jumper and Williams had an offensive rebound which gave Moss a second-chance hoop and just like that, the Racers had an 11-0 run and a 17-14 lead with 12:22 to go before half.
The score was tied again (33-33) with 4:51 before half and MSU hit another nice run. Payne reentered the game with two personal fouls and scored three straight baskets. Moss stayed hot and hit another jumper and a long 3-pointer. MSU finished the half on a 13-2 run and led 46-35. The Racers are 14-3 this season when leading at the half.
MSU led by double-digits in the early part of the second half and took a largest lead of 17 points (66-49) with 11:35 remaining on two Sapp baskets and one from Moss.
SIUE got as close as nine points (76-67) with under a minute to play, but the Racers hit 5-of-6 from the free throw line to seal their 15th win of the season.
TENNESSEE TECH 72, EASTERN KENTUCKY 66
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - Winning is beginning to become habit-forming for the Golden Eagles.
Tennessee Tech improved to 9-3 at home this season and kept itself in the thick of the post-season hunt with a 72-66 Ohio Valley Conference basketball victory over Eastern Kentucky Thursday night in Eblen Center. It was Tech's third consecutive victory.
Senior Dennis Ogbe led five Golden Eagles (13-13/6-5 OVC) in double figures with a solid 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, and grabbed a game-high seven rebounds. Javon McKay added 12 points and three blocked shots, while Dwan Caldwell, Shirmane Thomas and Ladon Carter each scored 10. Caldwell also snared seven rebounds as the Golden Eagles held a 32-26 advantage on the glass.
Senior point guard Jeremiah Samarrippas directed the Tech attack, providing six points and a game-best seven assists while suffering only three turnovers against relentless EKU pressure.
The Colonels (17-9/7-5 OVC) had four players score in double digits, topped by Corey Walden with 17. He topped EKU with five assists. Marcus Lewis netted 14, Glen Cosey scored 13 and Eric Stutz had 10.
The Golden Eagles shot a blistering 55.8 percent (24-for-43) for the game and distributed the ball for 18 assists, with seven different players dishing the rock.
What looked like a Tech runaway in the first eight minutes developed into a real fight-to-the-finish. EKU never held a lead, tying the game at 3-3, but fighting from behind all night long.
The closest EKU got in the second half was two points, at 44-42 early in the second period. The Colonels also pulled within three with just 2:04 to play, 64-61, on a 3-pointer by Cosey.
Tech was able to hold on after Caldwell scored on a layup on a feed from Samarrippas with 1:39 to play for a five-point lead and the Golden Eagles converted 6-of-10 from the line.
The Colonels made it 70-66 with 22 seconds left on free throws from Walden, but DeOndre Hanyes made two on the other end with 21 seconds left.
Cosey's 3-point try from in front of the EKU bench was convincingly rejected by Thomas, and Orlando Williams tossed up a 3-point try with nine seconds left that missed.
Tech used crisp passing, excellent ball movement, suffocating defense and a strong post presence to break on top early. The Golden Eagle lead ballooned to 16-5 when Samarrippas buried a 3-pointer from the right corner with 13:50 to play in the opening half.
Tech's early first half dominance continued, as the lead puffed to 21-5 as the 12 minute mark passed. Tech hit 58.3 percent (7-for-12) in the first eight minutes while EKU managed just 16.7 percent (1-for-6).
The Colonels forced five consecutive turnovers by the Golden Eagles and went on an 8-0 run to close the margin to 21-13.
Tech's lead went back into double digits, growing to 14 on a jumper by McKay with 7:31 to play, 27-13, before EKU challenged down the stretch. The Colonels cut the difference down to five points, 32-27, but got no further before the break. Tech held a 38-33 lead at halftime.
BELMONT 73, TENNESSEE STATE 71
NASHVILLE - Belmont University men's basketball defeated Tennessee State, 73-71, Thursday night as the program honored former All-American and current Utah Jazz guard Ian Clark.
The Bruins were without the services of senior Blake Jenkins - the fourth Belmont player in the team's top six to miss action this season.
Belmont rode strong defense and the shooting of senior J.J. Mann and freshman Nick Smith to build a 25-10 lead nine minutes in. But much like the meeting at Tennessee State Jan. 18, the Tigers methodically worked back into the game behind the play of all-conference guard Patrick Miller.
Belmont led 37-33 at halftime.
A three-pointer from Jay Harris gave Tennessee State a 41-39 lead with 16:22 remaining. But four points from sophomore Craig Bradshaw and a Mann three-pointer pushed the Bruins to a 48-41 advantage with 12:45 left.
But each time Belmont appeared poised to build a working margin, the Bruins would rim out promising shots and Tennessee State would find a reply. A Bradshaw layin made the score 66-56 with 5:42 left, before a conventional three-point play from Harris trimmed the margin to 67-65 with 2:46 to go. Junior Reece Chamberlain and Mann would combine on six points in the final 2:27 to hold off Tennessee State.
Mann led Belmont with 21 points, while Chamberlain added a career-high 19 points and six assists.
Miller led Tennessee State with 23 points.
With the victory, the Bruins have won 20-plus games in nine of the last 11 seasons.