CHICAGO – Despite a game-high 20 points from senior John Cantrell (Pontiac, MI/Northern HS) (Pontiac, Mich.), Chicago State men's basketball (10-9) suffered a heartbreaking 71-68 loss to Eastern Kentucky (11-8) Tuesday night as it began a five-game homestand at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center.
The visitors opened the game with 16-4 run in the game's opening 6:29 with five points coming from sophomore Justin Stommes. Cantrell scored nine points as part of a 21-9 run during a six-plus minute stretch brought CSU to just a single point (25-24) following a three-pointer from senior Mike Wilson (New York, NY/Mt. San Jacinto CC) (New York, N.Y.) at 6:17.
EKU then posted a 13-4 run over three-plus minutes, led by eight points from Stommes, to hike its leading margin to 38-28 with 2:33 remaining following a three by freshman Joshua Jones. The Cougars closed to within 38-33 at 1:09 following a triple from senior David Holston (Pontiac, MI/Avondale HS) (Pontiac, Mich.) and a layup by sophomore Carl Montgomery (Chicago, IL/Shepard) (Palos Heights, Ill.), but freshman Jorge Camacho's layup at the 21-second mark sent the Colonels into intermission with a 40-33 lead.
The second half began with EKU scoring 11 of 17 points in the opening five minutes to hike its lead back to double digits at 51-39 after senior Mike Rose connected on a three-pointer at the 14:32 mark. CSU came back with a 24-13 run over a nine-minute stretch with 15 points coming from Holston (eight points) and Cantrell (seven points) to even the score at 63-all with 5:50 to go in the game after a Montgomery layup.
Following two minutes of scoreless action, senior Tawrence Walton (Chicago, IL/Kennedy-King College) (Chicago, Ill.) broke the tie at 3:12 with a conventional three-point play. A dunk by Montgomery later gave the Cougars a 68-65 lead, but Camacho scored on a tip-in off an offensive rebound at the 51-second mark to bring the Colonels within 68-67. Rose drained a three with nearly three seconds left in the game and Jones split a pair of free throws to provide the final margin.
“We just weren't ready to start the game, but we worked our way back into it. We just had too many lapses tonight and we have to make some adjustments in preparation for our next game,” said CSU head coach Benjy Taylor following the game.
Montgomery added a double-double of 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with four blocks. Holston finished with 15 points, four assists and four steals for the Cougars, while Walton contributed seven points.
Stommes led EKU with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and five assists. Camacho posted 14 points and seven boards in 18 minutes off the bench and Rose recorded 10 points.
Chicago State continues its homestand on Saturday, Jan. 24 as it faces North Carolina Central with a start time of 7 p.m.
~ CSU ~
