CCAC PLAYOFF CHANCES ALIVE, GSU BEATS HOLY CROSS 84-83, WALTERS-WHITAKER CLUTCH AGAIN | gsujaguars.com
CCAC PLAYOFF CHANCES ALIVE, GSU BEATS HOLY CROSS 84-83, WALTERS-WHITAKER CLUTCH AGAIN | gsujaguars.com
CCAC PLAYOFF CHANCES ALIVE, GSU BEATS HOLY CROSS 84-83, WALTERS-WHITAKER CLUTCH AGAIN
In a huge possible CCAC playoffs tie-breaker game, Governors State beat Holy Cross 84-83 Saturday in the ARC to forge into 8th place ahead of the Saints in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference standings with two weeks remaining.
For the second straght game, GSU point guard Tai Walters-Whitaker was clutch hitting two game-winning free throws with two seconds remaining for the home win. Walters-Whitaker hit a three-pointer for the winning margin in overtime Wednesday night to beat IU Northwest 81-79 on the road.
"That was GSU basketball," said Jaguar Head Coach Tony Bates. "We stayed the course, made some big plays and won a big basketball game. I don't how many lead changes there were and the game had playoff implications. We now have the tie-breaker (over Holy Cross). It was a good team win for us and now we will get ready for the next game (Trinity Christian)."
GSU's Kyle Jackson was lights out in the first half scoring 18 points in a back and forth first twenty minutes with Holy Cross leading 44-40 at the break.
Both teams were impressive offensively in the first half. GSU shot 17-28 field goals (60.7%) and the Saints hit 14-28 (50%) and HC also hit seven three pointers (7-15, 46.7%).
Jackson led three GSU players with over 20 points in the game scoring a game-high 25 points (10-17 field goals).
Walters-Whitaker scored 21 points (7-11 fields goals, 2-4 threes) and contributed five rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Jalen Levy continued his solid play off the bench scoring 20 points (6-7 FGs, 2-3 three-pointers, 6-6 FTs) playing 28 minutes in the win.
Governors State (7-17, 7-9 CCAC) out-scored Holy Cross 27-25 in bench points with Levy and Lashun Dantzler (7 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 22 minutes) carrying the GSU bench scoring. Dantzler had a big three-point play late in the second half and played well for the Jaguars.
With four regular season CCAC games remaining, GSU is tied for 8th with Holy Cross (11-13, 7-9) and now owns the tie-breaker over the Saints with the 84-83 win.
GSU next plays Wednesday, February 8, 7:30 CST at Trinity Christian (9-15, 5-12) and at Judson, Saturday, Feb. 11, 3:00 CST.
Original source can be found here
Alerts Sign-up