Red Devils Run Over Robert Morris in Opener, 117-52
EUREKA, Ill. -- Eureka College junior guard Shea Feehan (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame H.S.) recorded his 13th career 30-point game with a game-high 34 points, junior guard Hank Thomas (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods H.S.) added 25 points and the Red Devils' earned their largest victory in more than two decades in Wednesday's 117-52 season-opening win over USCAA Robert Morris-Springfield at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena.
Eureka's 65-point win was its largest of the Chip Wilde coaching era and its most lopsided win since a 100-25 romp over Moody Bible on Jan. 24, 1994. The 117 points scored marked Eureka's highest point total in 40 season openers as a member of NCAA Division III.
The Red Devils trailed for only 91 seconds Wednesday and took the lead for good when Thomas drilled a 3 for a 5-4 lead at the 17:29 mark of the half. Another Thomas triple gave the Red Devils their first double-digit cushion, 17-5, and the rout was on. Two Feehan foul shots gave EC its largest lead of the first half, 42-10, and capped a 40-6 run that covered nearly 13 minutes midway through the period.
The Eureka advantage wasn't challenged after halftime. A Koby White (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) layup with 7:05 left in the game allowed EC to reach the century mark on opening night for the first time since 1976. Another bucket from White gave the hosts their largest lead, 107-37, with 4:55 to go.
All 22 Red Devils saw the floor and 12 different players scored. Feehan continued his march to 1,000 career points with an 11-for-17 effort from the floor and a 6-for-10 showing from beyond the arc. He didn't commit a turnover in 26 minutes and will enter Saturday's contest with 962 points, 38 shy of 1,000.
Thomas was 5-for-7 from 3. Ryan McElmurry (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg H.S./Carl Sandburg) set a new career high with nine assists and added four steals at the defensive end in just 18 minutes of action. The Red Devils committed only five turnovers for the game and crushed the Eagles on the glass, 51-36. Eureka also enjoyed a 46-18 advantage on points scored in the paint and a 34-8 cushion on points scored off turnovers.
Will LeGrande (Lewistown, Ill./Lewistown H.S.), J'Len Crawford (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington H.S.), Donald Hardaway, Jr. (Lansing, Ill./Cimarron Memorial/Daley) and Jaedon Banks (Peoria, Ill./Peoria Heights H.S.) each scored in their Eureka debuts.
The leading scorer from the Eagles was Jahari Mcguire who had 12 off the bench and Westley Howard who added 10.
Eureka will hit the road for its first regular-season game away from home this Saturday against NCAA Division I Central Michigan. Tip-off against the Chippewas in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Is scheduled for noon.
