WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — If one were to look at Tuesday night’s box score for the Morehead State men’s basketball team, one would probably take a look at the key stats and assume a victory for the Eagles. MSU shot 51 percent and only turned the ball over a season-low four times. But the host Tribe connected on 60 percent of their field goals, including 13 triples, as they raced past MSU 95-84 in an offensive shootout at Kaplan Arena.
It marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Morehead State slipped to 4-3 in 2019-20, while W&M moved to 5-1.
Senior guard Jordan Walker led Morehead State with 23 points and a season-high seven assists while also nabbing a team-best three steals.
Morehead State trailed by as many as 20 in the first half but cut the deficit to less than double digits. The Eagles could not counter the Tribe’s hot hand, including 28 points and 12 rebounds from 6-10 forward Nathan Knight. Luke Loewe also hurt MSU as he exploded for 26 points, a career high.
The Eagles concluded the Hall of Fame Classic with this game and now will travel to North Alabama, a team transitioning to Division I this year, on Saturday for a Noon ET tip-off.
KEY MOMENTS
– After junior guard Justin Thomas gave his squad a 10-9 lead at the 15:34 mark of the first half, a three-pointer by the Tribe’s Bryce Barnes sparked a quick 5-0 run as the home team never trailed again.
– Loewe’s free throw with 3:38 left in the half pushed the Tribe to their largest lead at 42-22.
– Sophomore forward LJ Bryan scored four in a 6-0 run to the end half with MSU trailing only 46-36.
– Junior forward James Baker’s layup with 18:28 left in the game cut MSU’s deficit to less than 10 (49-41) for the first time since early in the first half.
– MSU trimmed the Tribe lead to 10 on three other occasions.
KEY STATS
– Thomas scored a career-best 16 on 8-of-11 shooting to also go along with four assists.
– The four turnovers surrendered by the Eagles is the lowest total in the 2000s – a span of nearly 20 seasons.
– The Eagles hit 52 percent (35-of-68), their fourth game at better than 50 percent from the field this season.
– William & Mary won the battle of rebounds, 35-26.
– Bryan and Baker rounded out four in double figure scoring with 10 points each.
– MSU has now hit a three-pointer in 412 consecutive games dating back to 2007.
QUOTING COACH SPRADLIN
“Yeah, when you look at the box score with all the positive stats we finished with and you score 84 points, you probably should win a game in college. The difference was we just weren’t communicating enough on defense and we couldn’t guard them like we needed to. I thought our effort was great. Their two big men (Nathan Knight and Andy Van Vliet) are a matchup issue for probably any team they play. I thought Jordan (Walker) had an excellent game. That’s the type of game an all-conference player has.”