Box Score Sean Cassidy delivers spark for CSU in 79-76 win over MilesÂ
FAIRFIELD, Alabama - Traveling to take on a Miles team with a perfect 5-0 mark in SIAC play, CSU's Sean Cassidy, Jr. chose a great time to put together his best game of the season as the Marauders topped Miles, 79-76, on Thursday night.
Miles showed why they stood atop the conference standings early on as the Golden Bears scored the first eight points of the game and led by 10 at the 9:27 mark of the first half. The Marauders responded thanks to back-to-back three pointers from Cassidy, Jr., sparking an 8-2 run to narrow the deficit, 29-25, with 7:23 left in the first half. Cassidy hit from beyond the arc again at the 6:08 mark to bring his team within two and Akil Cornish joined in on the three-point shooting with a make to tie the game, 35-35, with 4:35 left before halftime. Cassidy gave CSU a 40-38 lead with his fourth make from the three-point line at the 3:26 mark. With both teams struggling to score points approaching halftime, Jeremy Brown gave CSU a 44-43 lead with a make as the buzzer sounded.
In an impressive display of shooting in the first half, the teams combined for 11 of 20 makes from beyond the arc.
CSU center Robert Konteh kept his team out front in the early stages of the second half. Konteh scored five points in the opening minute as CSU led 49-47. Miles slowly chipped away and eventually managed a 59-55 lead after a Maiscei Grier layup with 12:22 to go. Brown quickly scored on the other end for CSU and Cassidy hit another three as the Marauders reclaimed a 1-point lead with 11:41 left. Miles answered back with a 9-2 run to gain their largest lead of the second half, 68-62. With 9:04 to go, freshman Tom Johnson converted a three-point play and Cassidy struck again from the perimeter to tie the game, 68-68.
The teams continued to trade baskets down the stretch. Joshua Samuels put Miles up 76-74 with 2:34 remaining. Konteh scored on the other end with a mid-range jumper. After a missed Miles free throw, Brown converted one of two free throws on the other end to give CSU a 77-76 lead. On Brown's miss, CSU managed to run valuable time off the clock as a series of offensive rebounds took 35 seconds off the clock. With 49 seconds left, Grier missed from outside the arc. With the shot clock expiring, CSU was forced to put up a contested shot on its next possession. While the shot attempt missed, Sterling Gilmore came up with another huge offensive rebound which forced Miles to intentionally foul. After two made free throws by Cornish, the potential game tying three point attempt was blocked by Brown as CSU celebrated a huge road win.
Cassidy, Jr. finished with a season-high 20 points, with all 6 field goals coming by way of the three point shot. Konteh finished with 11 points as did Johnson. Despite battling foul trouble, Hosie Smith, Jr. managed 10 points and 5 rebounds as the Marauders improved to 5-6 overall and 5-3 in conference play.
"Sean picked a great time to step up. He was hot and we kept finding ways to get him the ball," said CSU Head Coach Joseph Price. "Sean had been struggling as of late and really needed a game like this to get his confidence back. I am really proud of him and know how hard he has worked to regain his shooting form. He found it tonight and we really needed it in order to beat a well-coached team in Miles. We were really fortunate to come out with a win in a tough environment. It took a total team effort tonight."
In the loss, Samuels put together an impressive 25 points to pace the Miles scoring. The Golden Bears fell to 7-8 overall and 5-1 in the SIAC.
"This is a big win but we still have two more tough games to play on this current road trip," Price said. "We know that Tuskegee and Stillman will be ready to defend their home court and we have to be ready to match their intensity."
CSU will play at Tuskegee (7-5; 3-2) on Saturday followed by Monday's road game at Stillman (8-5;4-1).
