SIUE Edges Tennessee State, EIU Men, Women Lose

NASHVILLE – Belmont players had the hot hand for the most of the night as the Bruins beat Eastern Illinois, 99-58, on Thursday night to give Belmont head coach Rick Byrd his 800th career win.

EIU fell to 14-14 overall, 7-8 in the OVC.  Belmont improved to 22-4 overall, 13-2 in the OVC.  The Panthers wrap up the Nashville swing of the conference schedule on Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. game at Tennessee State.

Eastern Illinois cut an early Belmont lead in half as Mack Smith’s jumper trimmed the Bruins lead to 31-24 with 8:15 remaining in the first half.

EIU would hit a cold spell following that as Belmont used a 19-0 run late in the first half to extend their halftime margin to 53-29.  Belmont ended the first half shooting 63 percent from the floor including 9-of-17 from 3-point range.

Belmont added to its lead in the second with a 10-0 run midway through the half.  Dylan Windler and Michael Benkert dropped in 3-pointers for the Bruins during the run.  Mack Smith would end the run with a pair of free throws with 9:33 to play.  Smith finished with ten points for the Panthers including making a 3-pointer for an NCAA leading 45th straight game.

The Bruins continued to hit from beyond the arc as they finished the game with 18 3-pointeers.  Windler hit five to finish with 22 points.  Nick Muszynski provided the offense from the low block finishing with 18.

Belmont finished the night shooting 60 percent from the floor. EIU shot 37 percent during the contest.

Rade Kukobat had 11 points to lead EIU.

Belmont 98, EIU Women 57

NASHVILLE -- The Belmont Bruins knocked down nine three pointers in the first quarter leading to a dominating 98-57 win over Eastern Illinois women's basketball. The Panthers fall to 10-16 overall and 4-11 in the OVC, while the Bruins improve to 21-5 overall and 14-1 in the OVC.

Belmont opened the first quarter with a 12-0 run on 4-of-4 from three-point range forcing an EIU timeout. Grace Lennox scored five straight points for EIU breaking the run. The Bruins would finish the first quarter 9-of-12 from the arc making their first seven. Darby Maggard was 5-of-5 from three-point range leading Belmont with 15 points in the first ten minutes.

The Bruins continued their hot-shooting into the second quarter expanding their success into the paint. They put up 21 points in the second quarter with eight points off layups inside. They also knocked-down another three shots from the arc. Karle Pace stepped up in the second for the Panthers scoring seven points as Belmont led 56-29 into the break.

Taylor Steele and Kira Arthofer found their offensive stride a little too late in the second half for the Panthers. Steele scored eight points in the third quarter to reach double-figures for the 18th time this season. Arthofer added another eight in the third to tie her career-high in a single quarter, but Belmont would walk away with their 13th straight win.

Pace and Steele each finished with 13 points to lead the Panthers. Arthofer added a new career-high of nine points to go with four assists.

Belmont tied the single game three-point record finishing 19-of-37 from the arc. Maggard was 7-of-13 with 25 points and seven assists. Conley Chinn finished completed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while three other Bruins scored in double-figures.

EIU will be back in action for their final road game of the regular season this Saturday. The Panthers tip-off at 5:30 pm vs. Tennessee State.

SIUE 85, Tennessee State 84

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Daniel Kinchen's three-pointer with less than a second to play Thursday vaulted SIUE to an 85-84 win at Tennessee State.

With the Cougars trailing 84-82 and seven seconds left, Tyresse Williford brought the ball up the floor, with Kinchen trailing. Williford drove into the free throw line, before passing back to Kinchen for the game-winner.

The win was the first-ever for SIUE at Tennessee State and moved the Cougars to 5-10 in Ohio Valley Conference play. SIUE currently is tied with four other teams for the final two spots in the OVC Tournament. The Cougars are 9-18 overall.

"I told the guys before the game we had to find a way," SIUE Head Coach Jon Harris said. "This is a good basketball team and it is time for us to step up and realize what we're capable of doing and do it."

Tennessee State is 8-19 overall. The Tigers also are tied at 5-10.

The Tigers nearly pulled off a monumental comeback. The Cougars led by as many as 17 points in the first half and had a 47-33 lead at halftime. SIUE pushed its lead to as many as 15 in the second half, but TSU refused to go away.

The Tigers used a 9-0 run early in the second half to trim the Cougars lead from 51-36 to 51-45 with 16:43 to play. Tennessee State earned tied the score with 3:09 to play on a dunk by Emmanuel Egbuta.

Armani Chaney's three-pointer gave the Tigers their first lead at 81-80. Tripp Davis made it 82-80 with a free throw with 51 seconds to play.

Brandon Jackson tied the game at 82 with two free throws with 28 seconds left. Donte Fitzpatrick-Dorsey gave TSU the lead, 84-82, with two free throws with just seven seconds to play.

"They rallied in the second half," Harris said. "The difference was when they made a run, we responded. We showed great resolve mentally. Our guys never really got rattled and that's why we got out of here with a win."

Kinchen finished with a season-high 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting. He 4 for 5 from three-point range and connected on all four free throw attempts.

"Dan did some really good things," Harris said. "He was a senior for us tonight. This is not an easy place to play. It's a great atmosphere. He did a hell of a job."

Jackson matched Kinchen with 22 points. He was 8 for 15 shooting and 6 for 6 at the free throw line. Cameron Williams added 12 points. David McFarland scored nine points which moved him into the SIUE's top 50 in career scoring. He has 623 points and is no. 49 all-time in scoring.

Fitzpatrick-Dorsey led Tennessee State with 23 points. Stokley Chaffee Jr. kicked in a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

SIUE stays in Nashville for a Saturday evening game at first-place Belmont.

"This will give us some momentum," Harris added. "We battled through some adversity and we'll be ready to go on Saturday."