Eureka wins conference nail-biter over MacMurray
EUREKA, Ill. – Eureka College men's basketball senior guard Sam Feehan (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame [Illinois Central]) scored 25 points, while teammate Tommy Goulding (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora [Aurora]) added 24 points, lifting the Red Devils to a 75-73 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over the MacMurray Highlanders, Saturday afternoon in the Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center.
The Red Devils have yet to lose at home this season, improving to 4-6 and 2-1 in SLIAC play. Eureka has won three of their last 4 contests.
Eureka never trailed in the first half, building an early 7-3 lead and extended their advantage to double digits after a 3-pointer by Feehan gave the Red Devils a 21-11 lead with 11:13 remaining in the half. EC took a 38-31 lead into the locker room at half.
MacMurray scored the first seven points of the final half to take their first lead of the contest 40-38 with 17:42 to play. But the Red Devils then went on an 18-4 run of their own to regain a sizable lead at 56-44 with 14:47 remaining.
A lay-in by Highlanders' Deavis Johnson off an offensive rebound capped a comeback by MacMurray to put MC back ahead 61-60 with 7:12 to go. The Red Devils fought back and took back the lead over the final minutes of play and held off the final Highlander push.
MC's Deavis Johnson scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to pace the Highlanders.
Eureka College Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage -.448 (30-67)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .263 (5-19)
Free Throw Percentage - .556 (10-18)
Feehan (25 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists)
Goulding (24 points, 2 steals)
Greg Kent (8 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists)
MacMurray College Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .443 (31-70)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .182 (4-22)
Free Throw Percentage - .500 (7-14)
Johnson (17 points, 14 rebounds)
Mike Cameron (10 points, 5 rebounds)
Brent Long (11 points, 4 rebounds)
What's Next?
Eureka will be back in conference action on Monday with an 8 p.m. matchup in St. Louis, Mo. against the Webster Gorloks.