MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State men's basketball couldn't sustain a barrage of three-pointers by Tennessee State as the Tigers raced past MSU 93-67 in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game at the Ford Center Saturday night.
MSU finishes the season as the OVC co-champions and a 20-13 record, the fifth 20-win season in the past six seasons. TSU moves into the NCAA Tournament with a 23-9 record.
"We ran into a buzz saw tonight," said head coach
Jonathan Mattox. "They had a ridiculous shooting percentage from three in the first half, and we even had hands up and they still hit them over us, so credit TSU. They are a tough matchup, and they can beat you in so many different facets. But I am proud of this team for being co champions, and we never quit. Even though the score was out of hand, we never quit. That's what this program is built on, pound the rock. Tonight it just wasn't our night."
TSU drilled 12 of 15 three-pointers in the first half and pulled out to a 55-34 lead. The Eagles had a 16-1 advantage in points at the free throw line, but managed to hit just 32 percent overall. The Tigers drilled 54 percent overall and the 80 percent from distance in the first half, the first Division I team this season to hit at least 12 three-pointers in a half and shoot 80 percent or better.
MSU had the game tied 7-7 with 17:09 left in the first half, but the Tigers went on a 13-0 run and never trailed again.
The Eagles trimmed the TSU lead to 12 (68-56) with 11 minutes left in the game after
Josiah LeGree's triple. But that's as close the Eagles got the rest of the way. TSU finished the night 16-of-26 from three-point range.
In his final Eagle game,
George Marshall hit four three-pointers and scored a team-high 17 points. Marshall finished his career with 1,241 points.
Anouar Mellouk posted his second straight double-figure game with 12 points, and
Davion Cunningham scored 12.
Jon Carroll had his 10th double-figure rebound game with 10.
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