Box Score

Postgame Interview with Ron Cottrell (video)

HOUSTON – Houston Baptist fought back from a 13-point deficit to tie the game in the second half, but Chicago State went on a 10-0 run over the last four minutes to down the Huskies, 65-56, in Great West Conference action Thursday night at Sharp Gym.
 
Senior forward Terry Bembry led the Huskies (8-17, 1-5 GWC) with 15 points – his eighth-straight game in double figures – while freshman guard Marcel Smith added 10 points. The Huskies' top three scorers – junior forwards Marcus Davis and Art Bernardi and freshman guard Tyler Russell – were each held below double figures. Bernardi led HBU with six rebounds.
 
Jeremy Robinson led Chicago State (4-22, 2-6) with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Matt Samuels scored 14,, Clarke Rosenberg had 13 points, and Lee Fisher chipped in with 12 points and five rebounds for the Cougars.
 
Chicago State shot 54 percent from the field, but made only 1-of-16 from 3-point range and 12-of-23 from the free throw line. HBU shot only 35 percent from the field, including only 2-of-14 from behind the arc, and 16-of-25 from the line. The Cougars outrebounded the Huskies, 39-29.
 
Chicago State led by one, but HBU got off to a slow start, making only three of its first 14 shots, and the Cougars scored five-straight to push its lead to six. Ardarius Simmons knocked down a jumper and a free throw to extend the Cougars lead to nine with 11:05 remaining in the first half. Robinson got free for a fast break layup as Chicago State led, 21-10, but HBU senior center Joe Latas powered inside and converted a three-point play.
 
The Cougars continued to maintain a comfortable advantage in the opening frame by pounding the ball inside, then opened up a 32-19 lead on a 3-pointer by Rosenberg with 4:20 left. Smith answered with a trey, then Bernardi made back-to-back baskets and Bembry added a layup as the Huskies outscored the Cougars, 10-4, over the final four minutes and cut the deficit to 36-29 at halftime.
 
Chicago State shot 67 percent in the first half, 15-of-16 from inside the arc but only 1-of-8 from 3-point range, while HBU shot 35 percent and hit 2-of-8 from long range. The Huskies went 7-of-11 from the free-throw line, while the Cougars made just 3-of-8 in the opening frame. The Cougars held a 20-13 advantage on the boards and outscored the Huskies, 26-14, in the paint.
 
The Huskies quickly cut the Cougars lead to three, but a free throw by Fisher and a jumper by Robinson put Chicago State back up by six. Smith made a couple of free throws after a Chicago State technical foul, then Bembry's turnaround jumper on the block with 15:17 left cut the Cougars' lead to two. Fisher found Samuels cutting to the hole for a layup, and Samuels made a free throw to give Chicago State a five-point edge.
 
Davis drove in for a layup, then sophomore guard Jonathan Evans found Russell slashing to the hoop for a layup to make it a one-point game, 44-43, with 11:54 to go, but Samuels answered with a layup and Simmons hit one of two free throws after an HBU technical foul to put the Cougars back ahead by four. Evans found Bembry for an easy basket, then Russell drove inside for a layup to tie the game, 47-47, with 10:11 left in the game.
 
Robinson answered with a short jumper, but HBU freshman Dustin Hobaugh made a pair of free throws to keep the game tied. Rosenberg made a jumper in the lane, but the Huskies countered on a jump hook by junior forward Lamar Thomas. Fisher made a short fadeaway jumper, and Russell made made the second of two free throws to make the score, 53-52, with 6:48 to go.
 
Fisher's hit a jumper and a free throw to put Chicago State back on top by four, but Bernardi powered inside for a layup to make it a two-point game with 3:40 left.
 
The Huskies were held scoreless for the next three minutes as the Cougars went on an 11-0 run to put the game away. Fisher made a pair of free throws, Rosenberg hit a running jumper and Simmons made a steal and took it the distance to put the Cougars up by eight with 2:07 remaining.
 
The Huskies return to action when they host NJIT Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Sharp Gym.