| In a close home game Saturday, Belford Williams takes a drive around 6-foot-11-inch Mohamed Kone. The fifth-ranked CEU men lost 89-94 against Southern Idaho, who remain ranked first in the conference. |
In a pair of close games, College of Eastern Utah’s men’s basketball team lost to College of Southern Idaho 80-94 on Friday and 89-94 on Saturday.
Both teams were evenly matched in defense and offense, and right up to the last seconds both Friday and Saturday, the outcome was still up in the air.
CEU made 30 of 60 field goals attempted, shooting 50 percent from the field on Friday, while CSI shot 42 percent, making 25 of 60 attempts.
The winning edge for CSI came at the foul line, where they shot 74 percent, making 34 of 46 free throws. CEU made 65 percent, sinking 13 of 20 attempted shots from the line.
CEU’s seasonal average from the line is 67 percent, which is above the average of 65 percent for CSI. Brock Erickson, assistant coach for the CEU men, explained that the difference in number of foul shots attempted, combined with higher than average free throw percentages and offensive rebounds were the biggest factors that led to CSI’s victories.
CEU’s smallest player, 5-foot-9-inch Jamaal Smith led his team by scoring 17 points and making five assists and a steal on Friday. Smith made three of four free throws he attempted. Tyler Billings made six rebounds, two assists and a steal. Chris Lang scored 16 points, making five for 14 from the field and four for four at the line. Lang also had five assists and two steals, while Eldridge Henderson and Colby Vranes both made two steals.
CSI edged ahead of CEU Friday with scoring leaders Jamaal Brown and Reggie Larry making 16 points. Brown also made four rebounds and five assists. Mohamed Kone made 10 rebounds and two steals, while Zarryon Fereti made 2 steals.
Saturday turned into a repeat of the previous night, with Eastern Utah making 30 of 63 field goals, and 20 of 30 from the line.
CSI was able to return getting 28 of 64 field goals through the net, and making 26 of 36 attempted free throws.
Lang and Billings each made 18 points Saturday. Lang had two assists and a steal; Billings had one assist and one steal. Tate Sorensen rebounded 9 balls, had an assist, a steal and his team’s only block. Vranes made three assists and two steals.
CSI’s Travis Gabbidon shot 17 points, made five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Larry and Kone each made five rebounds. Shaun Davis made four assists and a steal, while Brown made three assists, two steals and a block.
After the weekend, CEU is now 4-6, ranking fifth in the conference, and hits the road this weekend, playing eighth-ranked Colorado Northwestern Community College tomorrow and Saturday.