SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Mississippi State 87,
UT Martin 63
@Loyola Chicago 89,
Eastern Illinois 65
MISSISSIPPI STATE 87, UT MARTIN 63
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Jordan Sears poured in a team-high 21 points to give him 1,000 points in his collegiate career today but the University of Tennessee at Martin men's basketball fell by a 87-63 margin at Mississippi State.
A junior from Daytona Beach, Fla., Sears officially joined the 1,000 point club with a free throw at the 16:38 mark of the first half. The 5-11, 185-pound guard scored 493 points in two seasons at Gardner-Webb and has tossed in 524 points in 34 games in a Skyhawk uniform.
KK Curry chipped in 13 points today for UT Martin, who shot 33.3 percent (21-of-63) from the floor. Issa Muhammad accounted for six points with seven rebounds and a game-high four assists while Jacob Crews hauled in a team-best nine rebounds for the Skyhawks (1-1).
The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 as Josh Hubbard (22 points), Cameron Matthews (12), Trey Fort (11) and Gai Chol (11) all scored in double figures.
Sears (mid-range jump shot) and Muhammad (dunk) helped the Skyhawks take a 4-0 lead early. Following a Desmond Williams layup, the Bulldogs went on a 12-2 run to go ahead 15-8.
Jalen Myers knocked down a jumpshot while Sears followed with a steal and fast break dunk to pull UT Martin back within a single possession (15-12) with 12 minutes remaining in the opening half.
The score was 28-23 in favor of Mississippi State with a little under five minutes to go before the halftime break but the Bulldogs closed out the half with 13 of the final 17 points, taking a 41-27 advantage into the locker room.
Sears' 11 points led all scorers at the half while Matthews was responsible for 10 points to pace Mississippi State.
Buckets from Muhammad and Curry began the second half as the Skyhawks trimmed their deficit to 43-31 at the 18:41 mark. The Bulldogs answered with a 11-2 run but Curry (three-pointer), Williams (layup) and Sears (jumper in the paint) pitched in for a 7-0 UT Martin run immediately thereafter to cut Mississippi State's lead to 54-40.
Sears would later score six consecutive Skyhawk points down the stretch but UT Martin would not get any closer than 14 points down the stretch.
LOYOLA CHICAGO 89, EASTERN ILLINOIS 65
CHICAGO - Jermaine Hamlin and Tiger Booker both scored in double figures but Eastern Illinois men's basketball struggled to find consistent offense on Saturday night falling 89-65 at Loyola-Chicago.
Hamlin scored 11 while Booker had 12.
EIU was within one possession in the opening minutes as the Panthers trailed 11-8 following a Kooper Jacobi jumper with 16:20 to play in the first.
The Ramblers answered with an 11-2 run hitting three 3-pointers in the run as they shot 59 percent from the field for the game knocking down 12 3-pointers.
Loyola jumped out to a double figure lead with 13:37 to play in the first on a 3-pointer by Greg Dolan.
The Ramblers led 48-25 at the half.
The Panthers did win the battle on the glass finishing with a 37-33 edge including 17 offensive rebounds. Jacobi had seven rebounds while Hamlin pulled down six.
Dolan scored 12 points, one of three Ramblers in double figures. Des Watson led all players with 24 points, going 6-of-8 on 3-pointers.