For the Golden Eagles who recently broke a four-game losing skid, a two-game weekend in Berrien Springs, MI, is vastly important as they position themselves for a possible tournament bid.
On Saturday night, the Finlandia University Lions (NCAA DIII) hailing from Michigan's Upper Peninsula provided the first test for the Eagles. And the 3-20 Lions managed to keep things close in the first half when they scored 18 of their first 22 points from behind the three-point line.
In the end however, it was an overpowering close to the opening 20 minutes and a stifling second half that propelled the Eagles to a 107-82 victory over the Lions. Late in the final period the navy and gold took a 32-point, 93-61 lead after a Kyle Shockley triple---one of three treys he canned over a two-minute period.
The first three baskets of the game for Finlandia were courtesy of the three-point arc. Still, the Eagles managed to take a 24-13 lead before another barrage of long-range baskets from the Lions cut the advantage to 26-22. And at 5:40 left in the stanza the game was tied at 28-28.
With just under four minutes left to play, the Eagles managed a 34-29 lead and tamed the Lions with a 14-4 run to take a 48-33 lead into the locker room. During the spurt the Eagles scored 12 straight points for a 48-31 advantage holding the Lions without a basket until :32 were left in the half. They finished with a flurry getting triples from Kyle Shockley and London Cobbs wrapped around a pair of Cobbs free throws, a Shockley jumper from the free throw line and a DeJuan Lawrence follow of an errant shot.
Cobbs ended the half with 16 points while Kyle Shockley scored 12.
Despite two more Finlandia triples to start the final half, the Eagles showed some moxie as DeJuan Lawrence showed great body control converting on a twisting layup and the aforementioned Shockley, made a straight-line drive to the basket from the top of the key where he rammed home an emphatic one-handed dunk for a 62-45 lead.
Soon after, Shockley and Braden Rostad launched a mini air raid with long range bombs for a 21-point, 68-47 lead and the rout was on. They had to keep the pressure on however, because the Lions rallied from a 20-point deficit against Andrews University the night before, but fell short by three points (69-66).
KSU Tusc never waivered and dug an even deeper hole for the Lions as the 6'8" Lawrence tripled from the left wing, Kyle Shockley rained home three triples, Aaron Gergely added another and Kameron Shockley stole the ball and boat-raced everyone down court for a dunk all powering the Eagles to a 93-61 lead.
Kyle Shockley didn't start but led KSU Tusc (14-9) with 29 points and made 10/16 field goal tries and 6/7 three-point shots. Cobbs was next with 24 points, he converted on 11/14 free throws and added five assists. Rostad sank five triples and ended with 15 points, while Lawrence recorded another double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Golden Eagles, as they will face off against host Andrews University on Sunday in a 2PM tipoff. The link to the LIVE stream can be watched at Andrews University Athletics (aucardinals.com).
London Cobbs had 24 points and sank 11/14 free throws in win over Finlandia and Kyle Shockley gets to the rim for two more of his game leading 29 points.
(Photos by Lindsey Nicholson)