Box Score Marauders withstand OVU comeback attempt; advance to G-MAC semifinals        PHILIPPI, West Virginia - After moving Thursday's scheduled Great Midwest quarterfinals to Friday, No. 3 seed Central State hung on late to defeat No. 6 seed Ohio Valley, 87-81.
Having dropped two regular season games to OVU, Central State opened the first four minutes of the game with a 11-5 edge. OVU's David Sinickas helped OVU keep pace
with the Marauders, hitting back-to-back three pointers to even the score 11-11 at the 15:11 mark of the first half. CSU responded with a quick 7-0 run to claim a 18-11 lead. Minutes later, freshmen
Jeremy Brown and
Akil Cornish helped CSU spark a 9-3 run to take a 45-35 lead halftime. The freshmen duo combined for 18 points in the first stanza.
"We count on Jeremy to give us big minutes and make plays. Akil was the one who really gave us a much needed spark off the bench. I was proud of the way he stepped up when we called his number," CSU coach
Joseph Price said.
After Brown converted in the lane to make it a 11 point lead with 15:36 to go in the second, OVU leading scorer Daryl Walker led the Fighting Scots on a 9-0 run to make the score 53-51 in favor of CSU at the 12:05 mark. Two minutes later, CSU forward and All-Conference 1st Team selection
Raheem Lemons picked up his 4th foul with 10:17 remaining. OVU's Greg Strasser hit a jumper on the next possession to tie the game up 56-56. CSU guard
Masceo Harmon responded by scoring the next 5 points to put CSU up 61-56 with 8:44 left. Harmon would also be forced to sit with Lemons, picking up his 4th foul with 8:18 left.Â
With CSU's top two scorers on the bench,
Tre' Edwards and
Ra'Chaun Thompson stepped up down the stretch to help CSU claim the victory. Thompson score 8 points in the final 7:30.
Tre' Edwards scored 7 of his 15 points, including clutch free throws with 25 seconds left to give CSU a 85-81 lead. Two free throws at the end of the contest ensured the 87-81 win.
Brown, who was named to the conference's All-Freshmen Team on Thursday, led CSU scorers with 18 points on 9 of 15 from the field. Edwards and Thompson combined for 30 points on 10 of 18 shooting. Harmon finished with 14 points in limited minutes. Cornish contributed off the bench with 8 points as the Marauders advanced to the next round.
OVU was paced by 20 points from Daryl Walker. The Fighting Scots end their season with a 9-16 overall record.
CSU will face No. 2 seed Kentucky Wesleyan in the conference semifinals on Saturday at 5 pm. All tournament games are hosted by Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, WV.
For more information on the G-MAC Tournament, please visit -Â
http://g-macsports.com/sports/2014/8/4/MBB1415_Championship.aspx?path=mbballÂ
