For Immediate Release

jacksonville, illinois

February 6, 2007

Darnell it! EC stopped by MacMurray despite Mark's 32

Mark Darnall (Lake Mills, Wis./HS) hit seven three-pointers had amassed 32 points in Eureka College's 106-89 loss to St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival MacMurray College (12-8, 10-4 SLIAC) Tuesday night. Eureka (13-7, 10-4 SLIAC) is now tied with MacMurray and Webster University for the top spot in the SLIAC men's basketball standings with four games remaining.

Darnall, who had scored in double figures in three of his first 45 games in a Red Devils uniform, netted 22 points after halftime and finished 7-for-9 from long range as EC tried to rally from a 48-29 deficit at intermission.

MacMurray sprinted out to a 12-0 advantage forcing a Eureka timeout less than three minutes into the game. Darnall, Tim Peffer (Hinckley, Ill./Hinckley-Big Rock) and Chris Beecher (Dixon, Ill./HS) played solidly off the Red Devils' bench as Eureka got to within three of the lead (21-18) after a 14-6 run.

MacMurray scored the next 10 points to go up 31-18 and later closed the half on a 15-4 run, taking a 19-point cushion into halftime. Nearly half of the Highlanders' 34 field goal attempts in the first half were from long range as they went 7-for-16 behind the arc.

The second half was a marathon affair that featured a total of 33 fouls, 48 free throws and 118 points. The Red Devils heated up from three-point territory in the second half, sinking nine of out 17 attempts, but they never cut MacMurray's lead under 11. Eureka's best run came at the start of the final half with an 11-4 spurt to get within 52-40. EC got as close as 11 on three occasions. The score was 64-53 at the 11:49 mark, 66-55 with 11 minutes to play and 70-59 with 8:55 remaining.

Accurate MacMurray free throw shooting was the story the rest of the way. The hosts scored 24 of their final 28 points at the charity stripe. Overall, the Highlanders shot 86 percent (36-42) at the line led by a perfect 18-for-18 by Farrid Coleman. The 106 points scored by MacMurray are 28 more than any other Eureka opponent has scored in a game this season.

Darnall was 12-for-16 from the field en route to becoming the third different Red Devil to score at least 32 points in a game this season. Peffer tallied 21 points and handed out eight assists. Chris Tarpley (Pekin, Ill./HS) led EC with seven boards and added 13 of his 14 points in the second half.

Neil Compton led MacMurray with 25 points, while Coleman was close behind with 24. Jerel Robertson pulled down 11 caroms helping the Highlanders to a 33-26 edge on the boards.

The Red Devils will host Webster University in a battle of first place teams Friday, February 9 at 8:00 pm. Webster topped Eureka 62-57 in St. Louis on January 12. The SLIAC doubleheader commences with the women's game at 6:00 pm.

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For More Information Contact:

Brian Sullivan

Sports Information Director

Eureka College

300 E. College Avenue

Eureka, Illinois 61530

309-467-6456

bsullivan@eureka.edu