South Cook News

SAINTS CLOSE LATE TO WIN 85-80 IN GAME FEATURING TOP EIGHT CCAC TEAMS

 In a matchup of two of the top eight teams in the 14-team CCAC, both teams played well with St. Francis closing out in the final five minutes for a hard-earned 85-80 road win over Governors State University. 

The win was the third straight and sixth in the last eight contests for the Saints, who raised their season record to 8-6 overall and 7-3 in CCAC play, 5th place.

GSU (5-14, 5-6, was tied for 7th place entering the game) led 67-65 on two Adam Taylor free throws with 6:15 remaining in the game.

And it would be the last Jaguars lead with St. Francis going on a 15-5 run over the next four minutes to forge ahead 80-72 with 1:48 to play in the ball game.  Five free throws in six attempts down the stretch by St. Francis held off a late rally by Governors State, which pulled to within 80-77 with 1:06 to play on a three-point play by GSU's William Bates.

Bates (22 points) hit 8-10 field goals, 2-2 threes and 4-5 FTs and paced the GSU offense along with Nick Mikash who scored a game-high 23 points (9-13 field goals, 3-7 threes).

Both teams shot over 50% from the field in the game. GSU was 29-56 (51.8%) and the Saints hit 31-58 field goals (53.4%) including a blistering 16-27 first half shooting (59.3%) as the game was tied 38-38 at the break.

Bates and Mikash each scored 10 points in the first half with GSU leading by seven 34-27 with 4:23 left on a bucket by Tyler Clarke. The Jaguars shot 15-28 (53.6%) in the first twenty minutes.

GSU point guard Tai Walters-Whitaker had 10 assists in the game and contributed two steals and five points (2-6 FGs). Off the bench, Jalen Levy scored eight points and Kyle Jackson seven for the Jags.

The Jaguars next play at IU-South Bend (12-5, 9-2 CCAC 2nd place), Saturday January 14, 2 p.m. CST start looking to avenge an 87-65 home loss earlier in the season (November 30th).

Original source can be found here