Tigers drop conference opener to EIU
Patrick Comer
Sports Editor
Issue date: 12/7/08 Section: Sports
The Tigers dropped their second straight game on Thursday night against Eastern Illinois University, 71-61.
The game was the conference opener for both teams as the Tigers dropped to 2-4 overall. EIU improved to 2-4 on the year, 1-0 in the OVC.
Tyler Laser led the Panthers with 10 first half points as they opened with a 37-26 halftime lead. Laser would finish with 15.
Laser later pushed the EIU lead to 13 points at 49-36 with 11:56 left in the game before the Tigers made their charge. The Tigers used a 6-0 run at the 8 minute mark to close the margin to 56-53 as Jerrell Houston and Gerald Robinson made back-to-back lay-ups.
Jeremiah Crutcher pulled TSU to within three points with 3:55 left on a pair of free throws but that was as close as the Tigers would get.
EIU would extend their lead as a result of free-throws and an Ousmane Cisse lay-up to go up by seven, 62-55, with 2:53 on the clock.
Cox's baseline jumper on the next possession brought the Tigers within five but EIU's seven-of-eight free throw shooting down the stretch held off the Tigers for the win.
On the game three Tigers scored in double digits. Gerald Robinson, Jr. led the team in scoring with 14 points on only 5-of-15 shooting with seven assists. His shooting woes on the night were much like that of the rest of the team as the Tigers shot a meager 35 percent from the field. This also includes a 4 for 22 shooting night from behind the arc.
Darius Cox and Stephen Evans each added 13 points for the Tigers including Evans 11 points he scored in the second half.
Jerrell Houston pulled in, a game high, 11 rebounds and scored seven points to go along with them.
Up next for the Tigers are the Alabama A&M Bulldogs Sunday Dec.14 in Normal, Ala. at 5:00p.•
The game was the conference opener for both teams as the Tigers dropped to 2-4 overall. EIU improved to 2-4 on the year, 1-0 in the OVC.
Tyler Laser led the Panthers with 10 first half points as they opened with a 37-26 halftime lead. Laser would finish with 15.
Laser later pushed the EIU lead to 13 points at 49-36 with 11:56 left in the game before the Tigers made their charge. The Tigers used a 6-0 run at the 8 minute mark to close the margin to 56-53 as Jerrell Houston and Gerald Robinson made back-to-back lay-ups.
Jeremiah Crutcher pulled TSU to within three points with 3:55 left on a pair of free throws but that was as close as the Tigers would get.
EIU would extend their lead as a result of free-throws and an Ousmane Cisse lay-up to go up by seven, 62-55, with 2:53 on the clock.
Cox's baseline jumper on the next possession brought the Tigers within five but EIU's seven-of-eight free throw shooting down the stretch held off the Tigers for the win.
On the game three Tigers scored in double digits. Gerald Robinson, Jr. led the team in scoring with 14 points on only 5-of-15 shooting with seven assists. His shooting woes on the night were much like that of the rest of the team as the Tigers shot a meager 35 percent from the field. This also includes a 4 for 22 shooting night from behind the arc.
Darius Cox and Stephen Evans each added 13 points for the Tigers including Evans 11 points he scored in the second half.
Jerrell Houston pulled in, a game high, 11 rebounds and scored seven points to go along with them.
Up next for the Tigers are the Alabama A&M Bulldogs Sunday Dec.14 in Normal, Ala. at 5:00p.•
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