Cold Second Half Spells Trouble as Men's Hoops Falls 65-54 at SIUE Saturday

BOX SCORE

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Morehead State Men's Basketball was held to just one field goal during a 10-minute stretch in the second half at SIUE Saturday, and the host Cougars took advantage as they rallied past the Eagles 65-54 at First Community Arena.

Despite the setback, MSU (13-8/8-2 OVC) remains in first place in the league, while SIUE crept to within a game at 14-7 overall and 7-3 in the OVC.

The Eagles led 40-33 with 13:42 remaining in the game but only hit one field goal in the next 10 minutes, and SIUE rallied past the visitors. 

Tyler Brelsford and George Marshall led MSU with 18 points apiece, Marshall's third straight double-figure game. OVC scoring leader Ray'Sean Taylor led all players with 22 points but hit most of the markers from the free throw line where he went 12-of-13. MSU forced him into just a 4-of-14 shooting day.

Overall, SIUE out-scored the Eagles 28-16 at the free throw line and also out-rebounded MSU 39-36. MSU led by five on the glass at halftime but gave SIUE 10 total offensive rebounds. 

Both teams struggled to find offense as MSU shot just 33 percent for the day and just 27 percent in the second period. SIUE managed only 36 percent.

MSU returns home on Tuesday to host Southern Indiana, a team it defeated by two points on Dec 31. Game time at Johnson Arena is 7:30 p.m. ET.