COLUMBIA, SC – In an early-season Appalachian Athletic Conference showdown, the CIU Men's basketball team took on the Montreat Cavaliers Tuesday night. The 2018-19 campaign saw the teams split the season series with both winning on the other's home court. Montreat entered the evening sitting at 3-2 in the conference while CIU came in at 1-4. However, the Rams got the best of the Cavaliers Tuesday, pulling out a gutsy 89 – 77 win.
How It Happened
1st Half MC 40 CIU 38: CIU lead throughout the first half despite hot shooting from the Cavaliers who knocked down 7 of 14 three-pointers. The Rams opened up their largest lead of the half 18-7 on an Elijah Spalding layup inside. The Cavaliers would get close, but the Rams would extend their advantage to nine 31-22 on a Corey Benton driving layup with 5:48 left in the first. Montreat would slowly creep back, tying the game at 38-38 with 42 seconds and left and then taking the lead on an out of bounds set as time expired to go into halftime up 40-38.
2nd Half CIU 89 MC 77: The Rams and the Cavaliers would stay tight through the first 10:00 minutes of the half. Then CIU would explode for a double-digit advantage behind the inside dominance of senior Jeff McIlwain. The 6'10 center would score at will giving the Rams 65-50 advantage after consecutive scores inside. McIlwain would then give the Rams their largest lead of the evening 76-59 after knocking down a free-throw after a hard foul with 5:35 remaining. The Cavaliers would claw their way within nine, but the ball security of senior John Johnson would help the Rams hold onto the win 89-77.
Game Notes
- Senior Jeff McIlwain would led Rams with a season-high 25 points while shooting a blistering 11 of 14 from the field.
- Eric Graham had a solid first half finishing the game with 16 points and shooting a serviceable 7-12 from the field while also dishing out 10 assists.
- Skyler McKinney was just short of his first double-double of the year, pulling down 8 rebounds and scoring 9 points.
- CIU dominated inside behind Spalding and McIlwain, outscoring the Cavaliers in the paint 46 to 28.
What Coach Stockman is saying:
On Jeff McIlwain:
"Jeff was able to get in great position all evening, and our guards did a good job of getting him the ball. I am pleased with the season Jeff is having, he has been working hard and putting in extra time and it is great to see him have success."
On Eric Graham
"Eric made all the right plays for us tonight, not only getting into the lane and scoring but also drawing the defensive and finding the open man."
Up Next
CIU will play their final NCAA Division I opponent in an exhibition game on December 3rd against Middle Tennessee State.
