Chicago, IL – Chicago State Men's Basketball earned a dramatic 73-67 overtime victory over LIU on Saturday afternoon, snapping a two-year road winless streak at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center.
The Cougars (3-20, 3-5 NEC) battled back from an early 12-point deficit, outscoring LIU 15-9 in overtime to secure the NEC victory. Jalen Forrest's clutch play in the extra period sealed the victory, as he tallied 14 of his 19 points in the second half and overtime.
Forres was a spark plug for the Cougars scoring 19 points and adding six rebounds, while Gabe Spinelli added 16 points and 7 rebounds. Noble Crawford also drilled a cubical three-pointer sparking the late game run.
LIU's Malachi Davis led all-scorers with 32 points.
LIU (10-15, 6-4 NEC) jumped out to an early lead behind a 40.7% first-half shooting performance, carrying a 36-29 advantage into halftime. The Sharks extended their lead to 12 points early in the second half, but Chicago State responded with a dominant 29-22 run to tie the game at 58-58 in regulation.
In overtime, the Cougars surged ahead behind Jalen Forrest's clutch three-pointer and back-to-back free throws, putting the game out of reach. Chicago State shot an impressive 80% from the field in the extra period, while LIU managed just 33.3% shooting.
Chicago State won the battle of the boards, 39-37 and the Cougar bench was impressive outscoring their counterparts, 20-9, while the home team also dominated fast break points, 10-2.
The Cougars return to action next week when they host Mercyhurst on Feb. 6 as they look to build momentum in conference play.
About Chicago State Athletics
Chicago State University sponsors 16 Division I intercollegiate athletic teams and competes in the Northeast Conference with the exception of men's and women's tennis who will compete in the Horizon League during the 2024-25 season. CSU's athletic program includes over 150 student-athletes who compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, triathlon and volleyball.
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