Jan. 27, 2010

 

Box Score

 

CLARION - Close games and close wins are becoming the norm for the Clarion University men's basketball team.

The Golden Eagles won their third straight contest by three or fewer points when it held off a potential game-winning 3-point try by Mercyhurst to capture a key 77-75 PSAC-West win over the Lakers Wednesday night at Clarion's Tippin Gym.

Clarion broke a 73-all tie when Shameel Carty, who scored a game-high 24 points to go with 10 rebounds, hit one of two free throws with 1:19 to play. The Golden Eagles then got one of two free throws by Paul McQueen with 37 seconds left and two from Carty with 29 seconds to play to go up 77-73.

Nnamdi Nnadili then connected on two charity shots with 19 seconds left to bring the Lakers back within two at 77-75. Mercyhurst then fouled Jamar Harrison with 17 seconds to play, but the junior missed both of his free throws giving the Lakers one last chance.

As the clock wound down Elliot Engelmann got a contested 3-pointer from the top of the circle with Mike Sherry's hand in his face. The ball banked off the backboard and then rimmed out leaving the Golden Eagles with the victory.

Clarion led by seven, 71-64, with 4:02 to play on a Carty layup, but Mercyhurst stormed back scoring the game's next seven points to tie the contest at 71 on a layup by Christian Cornelius with 1:54 to play. The Golden Eagles then went ahead 73-71 on two Jamar Harrison free throws before another Cornelius layup retied the game with a 1:19 to play. That layup was originally waved off by the officials with an offensive foul called on Heiden Ratner. But after a lengthy discussion it was decided it was a good basket. Carty, though, broke the tie with his free throw off the Ratner foul.

The Golden Eagles used 13-2 run late in the first half to take their biggest lead of the game, 31-20, with 3:57 left in the half. But Mercyhurst closed to within two, 31-29, with a half-ending 9-0 spurt. The spurt quickly became a 12-0 run on a 3-pointer by Jeremiah Wise 1:10 into the second half that gave Mercyhurst a 32-31 lead.

Clarion answered with a 9-3 run to go back ahead 40-35 with 16:41 left but Mercyhurst answered right back with a 8-2 spurt to retake the lead at 43-42 on Nnadili 3-pointer.

The Golden Eagles, though, got the lead back on two McQueen free throws with 14:54 to play and never trailed after that. Those free throws started a 17-5 run that gave Clarion an 11-point lead again at 59-48 on a 3-pointer by Lloyd Harrison with 11:08 to play.

Mercyhurst fought back to tie the game late, but never could regain the lead.

In addition to Carty's 24 points, three other Golden Eagles reached double figures with Lloyd Harrison scoring 16 points and Jamar Harrison 14 with Mike Sherry adding 10. Lloyd Harrison also had five assists, six steals and a blocked shot.

Nnadili led Mercyhurst with 16 points including four 3-pointers. Ratner added 13 points with Shelton Jackson and Cornelius each adding 11 tallies.

Clarion returns to action at 3 p.m. Saturday when it hosts Edinboro, while Mercyhurst is at California Saturday. NOTES - Carty scored seven of Clarion final 12 points while recording his fourth double-double of the season and his second in a row. Since he started coming off the bench Jan. 10, Carty is averaging 17.4 points per game including 19.5 points and 7.3 rebounds in his last four games, all Golden Eagle wins. The 24 points tie a season and career high for the junior, who also hit for 24 at California a week ago ... Lloyd Harrison has now scored in double figures in 11 straight games ... The double-digit game was the 16th of the season for Jamar Harrison ... Clarion is now 4-0 in games decided by six or fewer points this year including the three straight wins by three or less. The Golden Eagles beat California 79-76 last Wednesday on a Lloyd Harrison 3-pointer at that horn and then held off Slippery Rock 76-73 Saturday before getting the two-point win Wednesday ... It marks the first time Clarion has won three straight games by three or fewer points since at least 1965-66 (first year current records are available) ... The Golden Eagles have now won 17 of their last 25 games decided by six or fewer points ... This is Clarion's first 4-1 PSAC-West start since 2004 ... The Golden Eagles have now won 12 of 13 from Mercyhurst including two straight ... Clarion is now 8-1 on the year at Tippin Gym and has clinched its 40th consecutive winning season at home ... The 12 wins better last year's total of 11.