CLEVELAND, Ga. - CIU men's basketball entered Tuesday night's contest with Truett McConnell (Ga.) riding a two-game win streak and hoping to defeat the Bears for the second time this season. However, a win wasn't in the cards for CIU as they succumbed 91-77 on the road. The Bears and Rams are now even at 5-5 in their last ten meetings. The loss puts CIU at 10-11 on the season and 9-9 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC).

The game stayed within one score throughout the first half. The Rams would tie the game at 30-30 on a DiAnthony Heathcock dunk at the 6:57 mark, but CIU would still trail by three, 45-42, at the break. Heathcock was outstanding offensively in the first half, scoring 16 points. 

The Ram would tie the game at several points throughout the first five minutes of the second half. However, by the 10:28 mark, CIU faced their first double-digit deficit of the game falling behind 67-55. From that point on, the Rams were able to get within ten on several occasions but ultimately fell by 14. 

Heathcock and Darrian Oates combined for a whopping 55 of the Rams' 77 points. Heathcock scored 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting while Oates poured in 27 going 11-of-19 from the field. The Rams' third-leading scorer was Jaylon Jeter, who came off the bench to score six points knocking down two 3-pointers. Jalen Brinson and Skyler McKinney each handed out five assists on the evening, while both players scored three points apiece. 

The key to the game was on the defensive end for CIU, where they struggled to get stops as the Bears shot 60% from the field. 

Up Next: CIU will host Bryan College (Tenn.) on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 PM.