CHICAGO, Illinois — Chicago State (7-22, 5-11 NEC) secured a decisive 70-51 victory over Central Connecticut State (16-11, 10-6 NEC) on Saturday at the Emil and Patricia Jones Convocation Center to close out the regular season at home. The Cougars capitalized on turnovers, scoring 14 points off Central Connecticut State's 14 turnovers while also benefiting from a strong bench performance contributing 35 points. The game was particularly special for the Cougars as it was Senior Night, honoring players
Marcus Tankersley, Stephen "Tank" Byard,
Corey Sands,
Joseph Owens,
Braelon Bush,
Dailliss Cox, and
CJ Ray.
The game began with a defensive struggle as both teams missed early shots. Central Connecticut State's Darin Smith, Jr. put the visitors on the board with a 3-pointer at 16:38, evening the score at 3-3. CSU responded with a layup from
CJ Ray off an assist by
Doyel Cockrill III, tying the game at 5-5 at the 14:32 mark. Smith, Jr. continued to be a key player for the visitors, scoring a layup and then a 3-pointer to help Central Connecticut State to a brief lead. However, the Cougars closed the half strongly, with Cockrill III hitting a crucial 3-pointer and two free throws, helping the home team to a 28-25 advantage at the end of the first half.
CSU pulled away in the second half with a strong offensive performance, outscoring Central Connecticut State 42-26.
Malek Robinson's back-to-back fast break layups early in the half set the tone, while Ray added crucial points with a tip-in and a jumper.
Dailliss Cox and
Stephen Byard contributed to the Cougars' dominance in the paint, where the home team accumulated 20 points. The home team's efficient ball movement was evident, with 13 assists and only one turnover, compared to eight turnovers by the visitors. Central Connecticut State struggled to keep pace despite James Jones' efforts, and Chicago State secured a decisive victory.
Ray led the team with 15 points, connecting on seven of 12 attempts, and nearly achieved a double-double with nine rebounds.
Marcus Tankersley provided a strong playmaking presence, dishing out seven assists and adding 14 points, including seven successful free throws. Byard was perfect from the field, hitting all six of his shots and finishing with 14 points. Robinson's defensive effort included four steals, contributing to the team's control of possession.
Looking ahead, Chicago State will face LIU on Thursday, Feb. 26. The game is set for 6 p.m. at Steinberg Wellness Center in Brooklyn, New York.
