Golden Eagles Pull Away From Men's Basketball in Second Half on Senior Day

(Lansing, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar men's basketball hung with the visiting Cornerstone Golden Eagles in the first half, but were unable to maintain the pace, as the Cougars lost the game on Senior Day Saturday afternoon in Lansing.

Cornerstone started the game with a layup on their first possession, but Tyree Jones would give the Cougars the early lead after knocking down a three on the very next possession.  Cornerstone would answer with four straight points, before Jacob Mueller hit a jumper, and the score would be 5-8 in favor of the visitors.  The two teams continued to trade baskets, but the Golden Eagles got a pair of stops and then converted a three pointer to build a six point lead over Cleary.  Halfway through the half, Chaz Cobbs Jr. made a layup, cutting the deficit to four points, but the Golden Eagles went on a run to build an eight point lead of their own.  Bennie Crenshaw Jr. and Jacob Mueller each hit jumpers after Cornerstone had built that eight point lead, but the Cougars did not get the stops to cut further into the Golden Eagle lead.  After Cornerstone had built a nine point lead, Jaylen Cole-Williams hit a three, cutting the deficit back to six points.  Cornerstone would built their first double-digit lead, but Cole-Williams answered with another three, and the deficit was back to seven points.  Trailing by nine points late in the half, Tyree Jones hit a jumper within the arc to make the score 28-35, with the Cougars trailing at the break.

Cleary would get a wide open look from three to start the second half, but missed the shot.  Cornerstone would get the rebound, take the ball the other way, and made their three point attempt, and the Golden Eagle lead was back to ten points.  The deficit would grow to fifteen points before a Bennei Crenshaw Jr. jumper and a Tyree Jones layup answered that Golden Eagle run.  The run continued when Chris Williams hit a free throw, followed by a Bennie Crenshaw Jr. layup to cut the deficit to eight points.  Cornerstone responded over the next five minutes, and built a lead that was too much to overcome.  With the score 61-41 in favor of Cornerstone, the final ten minutes of play was fairly balanced, with Cornerstone scoring eighteen points to Cleary's fifteen, and the game would end with Cleary losing 79-56.

Jacob Mueller led Cleary with 15 points, while Bennie Crenshaw Jr. added 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.  Chris Williams had a game high 9 rebounds for the Cougars.

Cleary is now 7-17, 6-12 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will look to bounce back on Tuesday, February 18, when they host the Siena Heights Saints at Gannon Gym for a 7:30 PM game.