BOX SCORE

MOREHEAD, KY — Mark Freeman scored 28 points, including 21 in the second half. and Alex Gross added 12 more, combining to score 40 of Morehead State’s 55 total points as the Eagles knocked off the SIUE Cougars 55-50 at home Saturday.

With the Eagles (14-9, 7-3 OVC) trailing by 10 with nine minutes left, Freeman took over and scored 11 straight points to pull MSU ahead 42-41. SIUE (14-9, 5-5 OVC), which has lost four straight games, tied the game 42-all moments later but Freeman’s three-pointer at 5:55 put MSU up to stay, 45-42, giving him 14 straight Eagle points.

Gross tacked on 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, and Drew Thelwell chipped in as well with nine points, eight rebounds and two steals.

Led by Gross’ three offensive rebounds, Morehead State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 14 boards that resulted in eight second chance points.

The Morehead State defense held Cougar shooters to just 32 percent from the field, including 28 percent from three-point range. The Eagles also kept SIUE’s leading scorer, Ray’Sean Taylor, to 3-of-16 shooting and eight points in the game.

How It Happened
After falling behind 23-15, Morehead State went on a 5-0 run with 2:38 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Gross, to narrow its deficit to 23-20, a score that would hold until halftime.

SIUE kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing a 41-31 advantage before Morehead State went on an 11-0 run, finished off by Freeman’s layup, to seize the 42-41 lead with 7:08 to go in the contest. The Eagles kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 55-50 win. Morehead State got out on the break in the period, scoring seven fast break points.

Game Notes
» The Eagles held the Cougars to only 32.2 percent shooting from the field.
» Mark Freeman, Alex Gross, and Drew Thelwell combined to account for 89 percent of the Eagles points.
» Morehead State had a 45-34 edge on the boards in the win.
» Morehead State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 14 offensive boards in the game.
» Mark Freeman now averages more than 22 points per game in OVC play.

Up Next
Morehead State hosts Tennessee Tech on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.