| Colby Vranes drives down court against CSI. The men played tough in a losing effort last weekend. |
SWAC leader CSI came into town and CEU was ready for them this weekend. CEU lost on Friday night 89-98, but it took overtime on Saturday for CSI to down the scrappy, undermanned Eagles on their home floor by the score of 108-102.
Friday night CEU did what they could to hold CSI close. Only down three as they headed into the locker room, it looked like they could make a run at it. But CSI showed why they are a top team as they pulled away to close the game out by nine.
Darington Hobson was on fire with 37 points to lead CEU’s offensive effort. Also in double figures for the Golden Eagles were Stephen Franklin with 15 and Kay Bay with 11. Felix Caspari pulled in ten rebounds.
CEU came out for the Saturday game full of fire. They took an early lead and dominated play for the first ten minutes of the half. CSI adjusted and began to press and slowed the CEU offense down a bit. There was only a one point differential at the break.
The second half play remained as intense as the undermanned core of Golden Eagles rotated on and off the floor. Hobson continued to drive the offense for CEU and finished with 46 points. At the end of regulation play the score was knotted up at 86 each.
With a deeper bench, it was CSI who could make the final push to take the win, hitting 22 points in the OT period. CEU was only able to come up with 16 and lost what would have been a grand upset if they could have pulled it off.
Caspari helped the cause with 14 points of his own. Bay had double figures with 13 and Rafael Moreira had 10 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort.
The team will take on Northern Idaho in their last home stand this weekend. They will play on Friday night after the women’s game with tip off at 7 p.m. On Saturday they again follow the Women’s game with game time at 3 p.m.