The cold weather may have moved out, but some chilly second half shooting by the Golden Eagles led to a loss to Ohio Christian University on Wednesday afternoon in Founders Hall Gym.
The shorthanded Eagles---playing without the services of their leading rebounder and third leading scorer----lost 90-75 to Ohio Christian University in a final score that was not representative of how closely contested the game was. Trailing just 74-69 with 3:16 left, the navy and gold sputtered on offense while they gambled on defense and the visiting Trailblazers took full advantage of the situation.
In the early moments of the game, OCU stunned the Golden Eagles with three consecutive long balls that found their mark for a 9-0 lead. A Kyle Shockley free throw finally got the Eagles on the board.
With 6:54 left in the opening half, the Eagles fought back to tie the game at 33-33 and moments later the younger Shockley was fouled on a three-point shot and was awarded three free throws. He calmly sunk all three for KSU Tusc's first lead of the game, 36-33, at the 6:12 mark capping off a 7-1 run.
The half closed with the Trailblazers making a huge push, outscoring the Eagles 19-7 to take a 52-43 lead. At one point the visitors had grabbed a 13-point, 28-15 advantage.
Shockley started the second half much like he did the first, helping the Eagles to a 55-54 lead with 15:59 to play on a nifty spin move into the lane. They stretched the lead to 57-54 as Shockley threw a beautiful bounce pass to a back door cutting Kameron Shockley for an uncontested layin. The elder Shockley victimized the Trailblazers again with a baseline reverse layup with 14:20 on the clock for a 61-56 lead.
OCU closed the gap to 61-60 with 12:30 left and took the lead for good on a pair of free throws with 11:15 left (64-63).
Kyle Shockley's pull-up jumper at the 9:17 mark gathered a little momentum for the Eagles and closed OCU's lead to 68-66. It would be as close as the Eagles would get.
After the Trailblazers forged ahead 74-66, a Kyle Shockley triple with 6:44 gave the Eagles some hope as they trailed by just five points at 74-69. An easy offensive stick-back however, gave OCU new life and a 76-69 lead. Two empty KSU Tusc possessions ballooned the deficit to 82-70 as the clock waned to 3:16 left to play, as the Trailblazers sent the Eagles to their third home loss on the season.
Kyle Shockley led the Golden Eagles with 26 points on the afternoon. He made 11/12 free throw opportunities. London Cobbs was the only other KSU Tusc player in double figures and scored 20.
The Golden Eagles (9-5) are scheduled to play at Villa Maria College in Buffalo on Friday, December 30 and visit Bryant & Stratton Buffalo on New Year's Eve. The game against the Vikings is slated for a 5 pm start, while the Saturday game is at Noon.
Kyle Shockley looks for an opening and led the Golden Eagles with 26 points.
Kameron Shockley attempts to block a shot at the rim.
Kyle Shockley is closely guarded along the baseline.
(Photos by Rob Brindley)