CHICAGO– In a tale of two halves, Chicago State (4-20, 4-5 NEC) surged in the second half to erase a six-point halftime deficit and claim an 85-78 victory over Mercyhurst at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center.
After struggling in the opening period, Chicago State came alive in the second half, outscoring Mercyhurst 54-41. The Cougars' offense found its rhythm, shooting 53.1% from the field, including 5-of-12 from three-point range.
Forrest took over in the final stretch, scoring 24 of his 37 points in the second half. Noble Crawford added 14 points, while Quincy Allen and CJ Delancy provided key contributions off the bench.
Chicago State capitalized on turnovers, scoring 23 points off Mercyhurst's 17 giveaways. They also dominated from the free-throw line, converting 23-of-29 attempts compared to Mercyhurst's 13-of-16.
Mercyhurst (12-14, 6-5) came out strong, shooting 53.3% from the field in the first half and building a 37-31 lead at halftime. Aidan Reichert paced the Lakers with 20 points on an efficient 9-of-16 shooting. Mercyhurst also benefitted from strong rebounding, finishing with a 33-30 edge on the boards.
Jalen Forrest kept Chicago State in the game, scoring 13 of his game-high 37 points in the first half. His aggressive play was crucial, as he continuously found his way to the free-throw line, finishing 17-of-20 from the stripe.
Chicago State trailed 63-52 with just over eight minutes remaining but used a 13-2 run to even the score. Forrest drained back-to-back three-pointers, and the Cougars' defense forced crucial stops down the stretch. Mercyhurst struggled to regain control, allowing Chicago State to take the lead for good in the final two minutes.
About Chicago State Athletics
Chicago State University sponsors 16 Division I intercollegiate athletic teams and competes in the Northeast Conference (effective July 2024) 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 that compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, triathlon and volleyball.
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