For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

February 9, 2007

Webster outlasts Red Devils despite 20-4 2nd half rally

Maybe the Red Devils are just trying to increase the degree of difficulty. Whatever the reason, the Eureka College men's basketball team spotted its opponent a healthy early lead for the second game in a row. For the second game in a row, a spirited EC second half comeback try came up short, this time 76-68 to St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe Webster University (13-9, 11-4 SLIAC). Eureka (13-8, 10-5) has now been swept by both teams currently tied for first place in the league standings (MacMurray and Webster) and stands just one game clear of Greenville for the final playoff spot.

With first place on the line, both sides displayed varying amounts of shakiness in the early going. Eureka scored just a single point in the first 7:20 of the contest, while Gorloks could muster just eight themselves. Both offenses finally broke through after the mid-way point of the half with Webster still having the upper hand. Corey Kuhn hit three treys in the final eight minutes in addition to sinking all three free throws after he was fouled behind the arc en route to 14 first half points and a 32-19 Webster lead a intermission. Webster controlled the boards in the opening half, grabbing eight offensive rebounds and a 21-13 edge overall.

The second half started well for the home team as Eureka tallied the first six points to get within 32-25. But after being held to two points before halftime, Webster's leading scorer, Darin Hoggatt, scored the next nine points of the game in a span of just over three minutes giving Webster a 41-25 advantage.

The Gorloks' lead eventually peaked at 19 points at the 12 minute mark before the Red Devils and the partisan crowd roared back into the game. Mark Darnall (Lake Mills, Wis./HS) cut the EC deficit to 14 with a three-pointer. Chris Tarpley's (Pekin, Ill./HS) offensive rebound and lay up answered two free throws by Webster's Scott Spinner setting up a wild exchange with just under eight minutes to play.

Matt McComb (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley), who did not start for the first time all season and was questionable to play at all due to injury, stole the ball from Spinner near mid-court. As McComb was converting a break-away lay up, Spinner grabbed McComb from behind and was whistled for an intentional foul. McComb then sank the ensuing free throws and the ball was given back to Eureka out of bounds. Steve Hrdlicka blocked two McComb shots only to see the Red Devils get the ball back. Finally, Tarpley drained a three-pointer from the wing completing a seven point possession, which trimmed the Webster lead in half.

The Gorloks missed the front end of one-and-bonus free throws twice, while McComb and Darnall capped a 13-0 Eureka rally with two free throws and a jumper respectively. After trailing by 17 with nine minutes to play, Eureka was within 52-49 at the five minute mark.

Three points would be as close as EC would get, however. Webster pushed ahead 58-49 with a 6-0 spurt and the Red Devils could not get closer than six the rest of the way, though not from a lack of effort. Eureka made a trio of three-pointers in the final two minutes and got the lead back down to six on three occasions.

Tarpley shared game-high honors with 23 points. McComb was next in the scoring column for Eureka with 13 points and three steals. A.J. Richard (Gibson City, Ill./GCMS) netted 12 points and a team-high nine boards. Darnall ended with 10 points, all in the final nine minutes. As a team, the Red Devils shot 41 percent (25-61) overall and 32 percent (6-19) behind the arc.

Kuhn led Webster with 23 points. Hoggatt chipped in 17 points and nine rebounds. The Gorloks posted a 44.4 field goal percentage (24-54) and 29.4 three-point percentage (5-17).

The Red Devils have little time to lick their wounds as the Westminster College Blue Jays, who trail Eureka by just one and a half games in the league standings, are scheduled to play at the Reagan Center Saturday, February 10 at 3:00 pm. Westminster took the first meeting 76-67. The women's game will start the SLIAC doubleheader at 1:00 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