For Immediate Release

eureka, illinois

February 27, 2008

McComb leads Red Devils to 88-72 win on Senior Night

Boxscore

EUREKA — Eureka College senior Matt McComb (Fairview, Ill./Spoon River Valley) helped send himself out on a winning note Tuesday night as the Red Devils avenged an earlier defeat by running over Lincoln Christian College 88-72.  Eureka's lone senior poured in 17 points in his final game, while adding five steals and four assists.

The game was nearly memorable for another reason as EC junior guard Mark Darnall (Lake Mills, Wis./HS) missed a rare triple double by just two rebounds.  He finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.

Lincoln Christian (8-19) began the game strong as the Preachers used a 12-0 run to take a 10-point lead just three minutes after the tip-off.  But McComb was not about to see Senior Night ruined as he took matters into his own hands by scoring seven points during a 12-2 Eureka rally that tied the game at 14.

His teammates expanded the run to a 30-6 avalanche that featured a total of seven made three-pointers over a span of just over seven minutes.  The Red Devils led by the count of 32-18 after Craig Black (Sullivan, Ill./HS) sank the first of his perfect 3-for-3 from long range with 6:21 left in the opening frame.

But it would Lincoln Christian that had momentum going into halftime.  The Preachers finished the half by tallying eight of the last 11 points.  Despite a red-hot 10-for-17 effort from three-point territory in the half, Eureka held just a relatively slim 43-37 advantage at intermission.

The ominous feel the end of the first half took on would be erased shortly after the second stanza began as the Red Devils continued their accurate shooting.  Darnall pitched in the final four points of a 9-2 EC spurt to begin the frame leading to a 52-39 lead.

Lincoln Christian stayed within striking distance for a while longer.  The Preachers even pulled to within seven points at 62-55 with 12:33 remaining before the Red Devils put the polish on a season ending victory.

Brady Wildenradt (Delavan, Ill./HS) and Black drained triples, while McComb made a pair of treys during a 16-6 Red Devils push that resulted in a 78-61 edge with 7:23 to play.  The EC margin would get no smaller than 14 the rest of the way.

Eureka made an amazing 19 three-pointers out of 32 attempts (59 percent) for the game.  Six Red Devils made multiple treys led by the four of Wildenradt and James Kowalski (El Paso, Ill./El Paso-Gridley).  They each tallied 14 points for the game.  Michael Zasada (McHenry, Ill./HS) recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 boards.  He also had four of Eureka's 14 steals.  EC forced 20 turnovers, and only handed away 11.  The Red Devils were a perfect 7-for-7 at the line, and shot 46 percent (31-for-68) for the game.

Lincoln Christian's Josiah Brock and Jon Wallace combined to go 16-for-17 from the field for 19 points each, but the Preachers struggled from long range (24 percent, 5-for-21).  LCC shot 61 percent (14-for-23) in the second half, but was still outscored 45-35 after halftime.

Eureka's team awards will be announced at the annual E-Tribe Winter Sports Banquet to be held in the Terrill Rooms of the Cerf Center on Sunday, March 16 starting at 1:00 pm.  The SLIAC will announce its all-conference teams on Saturday.

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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