MONDAY'S SCORES
@#4 Duke 65,
Tennessee State 55
Furman 68,
@Tennessee Tech 62
@Norfolk State 87,
Eastern Kentucky 80 (OT)
@Morehead State 111, Central Arkansas 85
Belmont 62, @Milwaukee 56
@Eastern Illinois 101, Fontbonne University 49
@Green Bay 94,
SIUE 92 (OT)
@DePaul 81,
Southeast Missouri 78
#4 DUKE 65, TENNESSEE STATE 55
DURHAM, N.C. - Playing at historic Cameron Indoor Stadium in front of a national audience, the Tennessee State men’s basketball team fell by a 65-55 final score to #5/4 Duke on Monday night on ESPN2.
Darreon Reddick and Tahjere McCall led TSU with 14 points apiece.
Tennessee State (8-3) trailed by just four at halftime and had the lead early in the second half. Duke (11-1), which is ranked fifth in the Associated Press Top 25 and is ranked fourth in the USA Today Coaches Poll, used a 13-0 run in the second half to retake the lead for good.
TSU’s defense again came up big, limiting Duke to 28.0 percent shooting in the first half and 37.3 percent for the game. On the offensive end, Wayne Martin and Jordan Reed added nine points apiece for the Tigers.
Just past the mid-way point of the first half, Reddick’s three gave TSU a 13-12 lead. Down by one later in the half, TSU used a 6-0 run that included two McCall layups for a 19-14 edge with 6:47 remaining.
Duke closed the gap, ending the half on a 13-4 run.
A strong effort by the Tigers’ defense in the first half limited Duke to 7-for-25 shooting as TSU trailed by four, 27-23, heading into the locker room. Reddick had a team-best 10 first-half points.
In the second half, a tough layup by McCall gave TSU a 32-21 lead with 16:32 left, and later, Martin’s jumper put TSU ahead, 36-34.
From there, Duke put together a 13-0 run to seize control of the game with a 47-36 advantage with 10:38 showing on the clock. The Blue Devils had another run later, reeling off eight-straight points for a 59-39 lead.
TSU clawed back into the game to cut the Duke lead down to 10, eventually falling 65-55.
Ken’Darrius Hamilton secured a team-best eight rebounds for the visitors.
For Duke, Luke Kennard posted 24 points with Jayson Tatum adding 14 and Grayson Allen chipping in with 12.
FURMAN 68, TENNESSEE TECH 62
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - In a game that featured as much as a 27-point swing, the Tennessee Tech men's basketball team finished just short in its comeback bid against Furman Monday evening, falling to the Paladins (7-5), 68-62.
The Golden Eagles (4-10) torched the nets early in the contest, sinking five of their first six shots over the game's opening five minutes to take a 14-4 advantage and force Furman to call a timeout. Tech's offense cooled from that point on as the stingy Paladin defense allowed just 14 more points by the home squad the rest of the half.
Furman erased its 10-point deficit over the final 15 minutes of the period, using a 50 percent shooting touch to head into the break with a two-point advantage. The visitor's lead would rise to as much as 17 points with just over eight minutes to play in the second half.
Proving its resiliency, the Golden Eagles mounted yet another late comeback attempt. Behind steady free throw shooting – the team finished 18-of-22 from the charity stripe on the night – and a couple of clutch 3-point makes, Tech drummed up a 20-7 run.
Senior guard Hakeem Rogers capped the run, drilling a triple with 39 seconds to play to cut the lead down to a single bucket, 65-62. Pressing on defense, junior Mason Ramsey came up with a huge steal near midcourt and found Rogers near the Golden Eagle 3-point line.
Rogers' attempt just rimmed out with the chance to tie the ball game and Furman came away with the rebound before drawing a foul and hitting enough shots down the stretch to take the game.
The Paladins' Devin Sibley led all scorers with 21 points while Rogers tallied a Golden Eagle-high 19. He added four rebounds for Tech as well.
Junior Curtis Phillips Jr. matched his season-high set two nights prior with 13 points, finishing 6-for-10 from the field in 31 minutes of action. Kajon Mack filled the stat sheets with a healthy 11 points and team-highs of six rebounds and five assists.
After finishing 5-for-5 from the charity stripe, Aleksa Jugovic upped his streak of consecutive made free throws to 22 over the past six games. He tallied 10 points while also knocking down a 3-pointer in his 11th straight game.
NORFOLK STATE 87, EASTERN KENTUCKY 80 (OT)
NORFOLK, Va. - Freshman Asante Gist poured in 23 points and senior Isaac McGlone tallied a career-high 21 points, but the Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball team fell at Norfolk State, 87-80, in overtime on Monday night at Echols Hall.
Gist scored 23 points, dished out six assists and pulled down four rebounds. McGlone went 5-of-7 from deep to finish with a career-best 21 points. He also had six rebounds and three steals.
EKU (6-7) trailed by five, 72-67, after a foul shot by NSU’s Jonathan Wade with 1:31 to play in regulation. However, Gist buried a triple on EKU’s next possession and then found fellow freshman DeAndre Dishman for a fast-break dunk that tied it at 72-72 with 44 seconds on the clock.
The Colonels had a chance at a game-winner, but Gist missed a layup in the waning seconds.
Eastern ran out to a four-point lead in overtime, as a free throw by Gist made it 79-75 with 2:19 to play; however, Norfolk State (3-9) closed out the game on a 12-1 run to pull away for the victory.
It is Colonels’ second overtime road loss in their last three games. They fell at Ball State, 91-87, in an extra period on December 10.
Wade led all scorers in the game with 25 points. Kyle Williams had a career-high 23 points for the host Spartans.
Sophomore forward Nick Mayo posted 13 points, four rebounds, two blocks and an assist for the Colonels. Dishman matched a career-high with 12 points off the bench.
Three EKU starters – Mayo, McGlone and junior Zach Charles – fouled out of the game.
NSU shot 45 foul shots and made 35 of them (78 percent).
EKU started slowly out of the gate, as Norfolk State jumped out to an early 9-0 lead. The Colonels slowly clawed back into the game and took their first lead, 21-19, on a three-pointer by McGlone with 4:59 left in the first half. The teams went into halftime tied, 25-25.
Pace, and quality, of play picked up in the second half. EKU shot 64 percent (16-of-25) from the field in the final 20 minutes of regulation, as the teams traded big shots and leads. The second half featured 10 lead changes.
EKU’s three overtime games this season are tied for the most in program history.
MOREHEAD STATE 111, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 85
MOREHEAD, Ky. - Morehead State men's basketball (3-8) ended an eight-game losing skid with a 111-85 win over Central Arkansas (1-11) on Monday night at Johnson Arena.
The Eagles were led by senior guard Xavier Moon, whose career-high 25 points and 11 assists - along with 10 rebounds -- were good for the first triple-double in program history, according to the OVC record book.
Morehead State shot 18-for-35 (.514) from three-point range, tying a school record for most three-point field goals made in one game. The Eagles outrebounded the Bears 42-29, dominating points off the bench, 59-13.
Freshman guard Djimon Henson blew his former season-high of nine points out of the water, scoring 21 points in just 24 minutes. Jordan Walker poured in 15, while Miguel Dicent recorded 13 points and nine assists. Lamontray Harris tallied 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists, and Ty'Quan Bitting logged 11 points and five boards.
BELMONT 62, MILWAUKEE 56
MILWAUKEE, Wis. - Behind a 13-0 first half run, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Milwaukee, 62-56, Monday night.
Consecutive 3-pointers from senior Taylor Barnette and sophomore Dylan Windler highlighted the first half spurt that lilfted Belmont to a 30-28 halftime lead.
The Bruins (5-4) led the entire second half, riding the strong inside play of senior All-America candidate Evan Bradds and junior Amanze Egekeze.
The duo teamed up for 32 points and 23 rebounds.
Milwaukee got within four, 58-54, with 56 seconds left on a 3-pointer from Brock Stull, but clutch free throws from Barnette and junior Austin Luke enabled Belmont to close the game.
EASTERN ILLINOIS 101, FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY 49
CHARLESTON, Ill. - Eastern Illinois knocked down 13 3-pointers and cracked the century mark on Monday evening as the Panthers improved to 8-4 on the season with a 101-49 win over Fontbonne University in Lantz Arena.
EIU shook off a slow start as the Panthers missed their first five shots and trailed Fontbonne, 8-7, at the first media time out as Kody Ettinger hit a pair of jumpers and Jeff Smith converted two lay-ups in the paint.
The Panthers increased the defensive effort and slowly warmed up from the outside. EIU forced 16 first half turnovers leading to 18 points while Casey Teson got the hot hand from 3-point range scoring 14 first half points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point range. EIU would finish the first half 9-of-17 from outside the arc they built a 54-26 halftime lead.
EIU finished the game 13-of-29 from 3-point range, the 13 made 3-pointer tying for the fifth most by an EIU team in a game. Teson finished the game 5-of-6 from 3-point range scoring a team-high 17 points.
Montell Goodwin added 14 points with three 3-pointers and Demetrius McReynolds drained a pair of 3-pointers to finish as the third EIU player in double figures with 12 points. All 13 players on the EIU roster scored in the game.
The Panthers finished the game forcing 25 turnovers as they entered the game ranked 10th in the NCAA in turnovers forced per game. Three players had three steals as EIU finished with 15 in the game.
Lucas Jones led a solid rebounding effort with eight rebounds, three steals, two blocks and four points. Aboubacar Diallo had four blocked shots. Ray Crossland and Logan Koch each passed out a team-high six assists.
Fontbonne finished the game shooting 34 percent from the floor. Dallas Haywood led the Griffins with ten points as they fell to 1-8 on the season.
GREEN BAY 94, SIUE 92 (OT)
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Kerem Kanter's jump hook from 10 feet out with 4.5 seconds left in overtime lifted Green Bay to a 94-92 win over SIUE in nonconference men's basketball Monday at the Resch Center.
SIUE has now lost five in a row and is 4-8 overall. Green Bay snapped a two-game losing streak and is 5-6 overall.
Justin Benton drove the length of the floor and launched a three-point attempt from the left wing, but his shot in the rim and bounced out.
A Keenan Simmons dunk with 58 seconds left in overtime gave the Cougars a 92-89 lead. Khalil Small tied the game with a jumper and a free throw after a foul with 51 seconds left. SIUE turned the ball over with 24 seconds left, allowing Green Bay the chance at the final shot.
The Cougars erased a four-point Green Bay lead in the final two minutes of regulation and a Simmons layup with seven seconds left tied the score at 82. Green Bay missed several attempts in the closing seconds of regulation.
SIUE led 36-35 at half, lost for the first time this season when leading at half. The Cougars' largest lead was six which they held twice, once in the first half and again with 5:40 to play in the second half after a Jalen Henry layup made it 69-63.
Green Bay's largest lead came with 15:45 to play in the second when Trevor Anderson made it 49-44 with a three-pointer.
The game featured 21 lead changes and 16 ties.
Five players scored in double figures for the Cougars led by Carlos Anderson's career-high 26 points. Henry scored 17 points. Burak Eslik added 16 points and Christian Ellis and Justin Benton each scored 11 points. The 11 points are a career-high for Benton.
It was the first time the Cougars have had at least five guys score in double figures since the win at Grand Canyon Nov. 28.
Following several games of subpar shooting, the Cougars bounced back to shoot a season-best 50.7 percent (34-67) from the field.
Simmons scored seven points and led SIUE with 10 rebounds. The Cougars outrebounded Green Bay 43-34.
Trevor Anderson led Green Bay with 23 points. Kanter added 17 points. Jamar Hurdle scored 16 points and Small scored 15.
DEPAUL 81, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 78
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Antonius Cleveland scored a career-high 28 points and Jamaal Calvin pitched in a career-best 20, as Southeast Missouri (4-8) fell in the final seconds to DePaul (7-4), 81-78, Monday.
SEMO had a chance to take the lead and send the game to overtime in the last 13 seconds.
After Billy Garrett made two free throws to give DePaul a 79-78 edge, Daniel Simmons' 3-pointer missed with 13 seconds left. Tre'Darius McCallum was fouled and went to the free throw line to calmly make both of his free throws, giving the Blue Demons an 81-78 lead one second later. Calvin's 3-pointer at the buzzer then bounced off the rim and DePaul escaped.
The Blue Demons, after blowing a 15-point lead in the first half, overcame a 14-point second-half deficit to edge the Redhawks.
Cleveland completed a 3-point play to give SEMO a 57-43 advantage before DePaul answered with a 12-0 run. The Blue Demons then tied the game at 60-60 on a layup by Garrett. Shortly after that, R.J. Curington scored a layup to regain the lead and finish off a 19-3 run for DePaul at the 7:42 mark. The Blue Demons did not miss a free throw down the stretch, going 8-of-8 in the final 5:41 to secure the victory.
SEMO trailed 23-8 with 9:18 left to play in the first half, but made a furious recovery. After struggling to a 1-of-6 start from 3-point range, the Redhawks heated up to drain eight of their final 10 threes of the opening stanza. Calvin made his first six treys of the contest.
The Redhawks took their first lead when Cleveland stole the ball and threw down a one-handed dunk to go ahead, 30-29, at the 2:38 mark.
SEMO outscored DePaul, 30-10, in the last 9:18 of the first half en route to grabbing a 38-33 at the intermission. At one point, the Redhawks buried a 3-pointer on four-straight possessions in that span.
SEMO took its first halftime lead since Nov. 22 and recorded its best first half field goal percentage (.500, 13-of-26) of the season. The Redhawks nine 3-pointers marked a season-high in the first half, as well.
Cleveland shot 12-of-17 from the field, knocked down two 3-pointers, dished out five assists and had two steals. He scored 20 or more points for the fifth time this season and 14th of his career.
Calvin was 6-of-8 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 at the free throw line. He also added two assists and four rebounds. Simmons scored double figures off the bench for the third-straight game, finishing with 14 points.
SEMO shot 50.9 percent (27-of-53) from the field for the night and buried 13 three-pointers. DePaul shot 62.5 percent (15-of-24) and made 12-of-14 free throws in its big second half.
Five Blue Demons scored double figures led by Garrett's 18 points.