There are some things you just have to do when you are facing the #2 ranked team in the country. Take care of the basketball, shoot the ball well and not dig a hole for yourself.
The Kent State at Tuscarawas basketball team didn't make good on any of those things in the first half, but still managed to have a chance to win before falling 75-73 to Cincinnati Clermont in Batavia, Ohio on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing 4-2 early in the game, the Golden Eagles Malik Campbell converted on two driving layups while Jacob Hicks hit a floater in the lane and Braden Rostad canned the Navy and Gold's only first half 3-pointer, as KSU Tusc went on a 9-0 spurt to grab an 11-4 lead.
Then the Cougars fought back to 18-17, before grabbing a lead (19-18) at the 10:04 mark of the opening half that they wouldn't relinquish until only seconds were left in the game. They took command with 2:14 left as they outscored the foul plagued Eagles 27-10 and led by 16 points (44-28). Four Golden Eagles guards accumulated two fouls apiece in the half. KSU didn't roll over though and closed the half on a 10-0 run and got to within 44-33.
The Eagles continued their comeback with five straight points to open the final half and cut the deficit to 44-38. With the score 51-44, the winners built another double-digit lead with an 8-0 run. Each time KSU tried to make a dent in the lead, UCC answered to keep the Golden Eagles at bay.
Down 71-58 with 5:10 left in the game, Hicks tipped in a missed shot followed by a Rostad 3-pointer as the deficit shrunk to 71-63. It was the closest they had been since the 8:20 mark. The Eagles missed two golden opportunities at the rim after a Cougars turnover, but Andre Leavell made a dribble drive with 2:50 left and Campbell laid in another bucket after Rostad came up with a steal on a UCC inbounds pass as they closed to 71-67.
With 1:20 left the Cougars clung to a 73-69 lead, but they missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity with 51.1 to play leaving the door open for the Eagles.
Campbell dove to the basket from the left wing and banked in an off balance shot with :42 showing on the clock and the Eagles only trailed by two (73-71). After a missed shot by the Cougars, Gunnar Tharp grabbed a loose ball rebound and was fouled. He calmly sank both ends of a bonus opportunity to tie the game at 73-73 with only 16.1 remaining and the Eagles called timeout.
Driving the length of the court, a UCC player threw up a shot as he was falling to the floor in the lane. The ball found its mark and fell through the net for a 75-73 lead with only 2.5 seconds left.
After a timeout, the Golden Eagles inbounded the ball to Mike Huberty near the Cougars 28-foot line. He took a couple of dribbles and heaved a 3-point shot that was wide-left of the basket as the final buzzer sounded.
On the day, KSU Tusc committed 19 turnovers, shot just 13% (2-16) from behind the arc and missed six put back opportunities on the offensive glass.
Leavell led the Golden Eagles with 21 points on 9/17 shooting and also cleared 18 boards to secure his third double-double in the last week. He also contributed five assists. Campbell sank 22 points making 10/23 shots from the floor and grabbed eight caroms. Hicks was also in double figures with 12 points and was a perfect 6/6 from the field.
The loss drops KSU to 15-11 on the year while UCC improved to 23-3. The Eagles are 10-2 since the beginning of the new year and have won 13 of their last 17 games.
On Wednesday, February 12th, the Golden Eagles return home for their last home game of the season. They will host Akron Wayne in a 7:15 p.m. tip.
Andre Leavell had a double-double with 21 points & 18 rebounds at UCC.
(Photos by Jason Keller)