MINNEAPOLIS — Chicago State men's basketball delivered a determined road performance on Tuesday night, battling Big Ten Minnesota before falling 66–54 inside Williams Arena. The Cougars showed resilience throughout the matchup, trimming multiple double-digit deficits and putting together several strong scoring stretches against the Gophers.
Marcus Tankersley led the way with a team-high 16 points, attacking the lane and generating offense throughout both halves.
Braelon Bush added 10 points, including a pair of big second-half three-pointers that helped fuel a Cougar push as CSU cut the margin to a single point midway through the period.
Stephen Byard provided valuable minutes inside, finishing with six points and steady interior work, while
CJ Ray chipped in seven points and a key three-pointer that kept the Cougars within striking distance.
Chicago State produced one of its most balanced efforts of the early season, scoring 28 points in the paint, generating eight second-chance points, and receiving 17 points from its bench. The Cougars also held Minnesota under 37 percent shooting from the field in the first half and forced the Gophers into 13 turnovers for the game—turning those opportunities into 12 points on the other end.
Despite the late surge from Minnesota, the Cougars continued to compete through the final horn, showing poise and growth in a challenging road environment.
Chicago State returns to action later this week looking to build on the cohesive stretches it displayed in Minneapolis.
