Griffins top Red Devils in offensive shootout
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Eureka College men's basketball junior forward Parker Gibson (Pontiac, Ill./Pontiac [St. John's NW Military Academy]) tallied his first collegiate double-double, setting career-highs in points (20) and rebounds (14), but the Fontbonne Griffins came out on top 86-79 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action, Wednesday night inside Mabee Gymnasium in St. Louis, Mo.
The Red Devils fall to 5-9 overall and 3-4 in conference play, while the Griffins move to 6-8 overall and 4-3 in the SLIAC. Eureka is still in search of their first road win of the season.
Eureka scored the first four points of the contest, generating their only lead of the game, at the 17:46 mark in the first half. The Griffins scored the next seven points to take control and held on to the lead for the duration of the first 20 minutes of play, heading into the locker room with a 42-35 edge.
Fontbonne continued to maintain a narrow lead through the early stages of the second half, but Eureka used back-to-back baskets to tie the bout, 46-46.
EC and FBU exchanged baskets over their next offensive series, followed by a 5-0 run by the Griffins to regain the advantage. Eureka sliced the deficit to one on two occasions, but Fontbonne's hot second shooting (16-for-31) answered Eureka's marks over the final 12 minutes of play, restricting the Red Devils from gaining any momentum and taking a lead.
Fontbonne's Richard Dorhauer led the Griffins' offense with 22 points, while the host got double-doubles from Kody Ettinger (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Jared Greenlee (10 points, 12 rebounds).
Freshman guard Shea Feehan (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame [Lewis]) chipped in 17 points over 26 minutes of action after erupting for 25 points in his first contest as a Red Devil at Iowa Wesleyan on Saturday.
Eureka College Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage -.438 (32-73)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .346 (9-26)
Free Throw Percentage - .545 (6-11)
Gibson (20 points, 14 rebounds)
Sam Feehan (19 points, 6 rebounds)
Shea Feehan (17 points, 5 rebounds)
Fontbonne University Statistics, Leaders
Field Goal Percentage - .500 (32-64)
3-Point Field Goal Percentage - .524 (11-21)
Free Throw Percentage - .440 (11-25)
Dorhauer (22 points, 3 rebounds)
Ettinger (17 points, 10 rebounds)
Greenlee (10 points, 12 rebounds)
What's Next?
Eureka returns to the Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena and Convocation Center on Saturday with a 3 p.m. matchup against the Blackburn Beavers.