Morehead, Ky.-- The Morehead State men's basketball team got out to an early lead and then had to hang on against a furious Cleveland State comeback to take a 71-69 victory over the Vikings in the Cleveland State Throwback Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio.
Morehead State (3-4) had four players in double figures, led by Jalen Breazeale with a season-high 14. Kenny White, Jr., and Tyler Brelsford had 12 points each. Anouar Mellouk set a season high with 11 points and led the Eagles with five rebounds.
After starting down 4-2, Morehead State went on a 12-4 run capped by Trent Scott's free throw at the12:56 mark.
Cleveland State (4-5) responded with a seven-point run of their own to cut the lead to 16-13.
At that point, Morehead State went on a long run, outscoring the Vikings 24-10 capped by Brelsford's two free throws with 3:24 left in half to make it 40-23. That 17-point margin was the largest lead of the game for MSU. The Eagles went into the intermission up 47-32.
In the first half, the Eagles went 16-22 (73%) from the field, including 7-10 from three-point range. MSU also hit eight of their 10 free throw attempts in the opening half.
Cleveland State got to within nine early in the second half, but MSU maintained a double-digit lead until a couple of CSU free throws made it 61-52 with 9:30 to play. A White, Jr., jumper at the 9:11 mark made it 63-52. Those were the last points the Eagles would score from the floor for the rest of the game.
The Eagles would only attempt two more shots from the floor for the rest of the game. In that time MSU would commit seven turnovers as Cleveland State chipped away at the margin. The Vikings took the lead 69-67 on two Tevin Smith free throws with 49 seconds to go.
On their next possession, White, Jr., driving from the right wing, fired a cross-court pass to Kade Ruegsegger in the left corner. His three-point attempt did not go down, but he was fouled on the shot. His three free throws to make it 70-68 proved to be the clincher for Morehead State. Ruegsegger finished the game with nine points.
Morehead State returns to action Wednesday when they travel to Marshall. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
BY THE NUMBERS
