EIU Downs UT Martin, SIUE Falls To Tennessee State

The win snapped a ten-game losing skid as the Panthers are now 3-17 overall, 1-6 in the OVC.  UT Martin fell to 7-14 overall, 3-6 in the OVC.  

EIU led 30-23 at the half after shooting 57 percent from the floor in the opening half.  The Panthers extended that lead to eight points on a Sammy Friday IV bucket with 8:45 left in the game.  Friday’s basket gave EIU a 42-34 lead as Friday finished with 13 points. 

UT Martin would trim the lead to two points with 3:14 left in the contest on a 3-pointer by David Didenko.  The Skyhawks ended the night just 3-of-22 from 3-point range. 

Following a one-of-two trip to the free throw line by the Panthers, KJ Simon tied the game at 47-47 converting an old fashioned three point play.   

Clements then put the Panthers offense on his shoulders hitting a pair of free throws with 1:37 left in the game and a jumper in the lane with 53 seconds left giving the Panthers a 53-49 lead.  Clements ended the game with 12 points.   

EIU would close out the game with a CJ Lane lay-up with 18 seconds left in the game as they ended the game shooting 54 percent from the floor.  All seven players in uniform for EIU would make their way into the score column. 

Bernie Andre scored 18 points to lead UT Martin including a jumper with two minutes remaining that tied the score at 49-49.  KK Curry had 16 points.   

Tennessee State 75, SIUE 70

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE men's basketball dropped its fifth consecutive game Thursday, falling to Tennessee State 75-70 at First Community Arena.

The Cougars are now 1-6 in Ohio Valley Conference play and 7-13 overall. Tennessee State improved to 9-12 overall and 4-5 in the OVC.

"Obviously we didn't do enough to win," SIUE Head Coach Brian Barone. "We didn't make enough simple plays in stretches where we could've extended the lead or tied it or taken the lead down the stretch."

SIUE struggled to execute in the second half, hitting just 7-27 attempts (26 percent) after a lights-out first half saw the team shoot 55.6 percent (15-27) from the field.

Tennessee State also was 15-27 from the field in the first half and trailed SIUE 39-38. The Tigers built their lead to 65-55 with 6:25 to go. The Cougars made a push and scored 12 of the next 13 points. A pair of free throws from DeeJuan Pruitt cut the TSU lead to 68-67 with 1:50 left. Pruitt got SIUE to 70-69 with 58 seconds left with two more free throws, but the Cougars never got any closer. Both times the Cougars missed shots that would have tied or given SIUE the lead.

"Our guys fight, there's no doubt they're going to compete," Barone added. "We made some fundamental mistakes that we could've done a better job with, and you got to take some better shots in certain situations when we're running in transition and things like that."

The Cougars finished at 41 percent for the game.

"We missed a layup to tie it and to go up by one," Barone said. "Unfortunately, today we didn't have the execution that we needed to have with the shots we had, because we had some good shots."

SIUE was 6-15 (40 percent) and just 20-31 (65 percent) from the free throw line.

Ray'Sean Taylor tied his career high with 26 points, including 19 in the first half. DeeJuan Pruitt scored 24 and added seven rebounds. Courtney Carter led

SIUE with 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals while adding four points.

"Our team has to move the ball," Barone said. "For Courtney to have nine assists in a game where we didn't shoot particularly well really says a lot about his game."

Tennessee State shot 41 percent (13-32) in the second have and 48 percent (28-59) for the game.

Marcus Fitzgerald, Jr. scored 18 points to lead three Tigers in double figures. Carlos Mashall, Jr. scored 17 points and Kassim Nicholson collected a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

SIUE returns to the road for a Saturday game at Southeast Missouri and a Monday contest at Austin Peay.

"We need to regroup," Barone said. "We did some things today that I was impressed with and we can always build on those things."