Clark's Double Not Enough as SHU Men's Hoops Falls to #22 Saint Xavier
CHICAGO, Ill. -- Cecil Clark (Ferndale, Mich./Ferndale) had a double-double, finishing with 38 points and 11 rebounds, for the Siena Heights men's basketball team, however, the Saints were unable to upset No. 22 Saint Xavier (Ill.) as they dropped an 85-79 decision at the Saint Xavier Midwest Tournament on Wednesday.
Nick Kosovich (Shelby Township, Mich./Romeo) added 10 points and six assists for the Saints (4-10), who actually led 60-59 with 11:32 remaining before the host Cougars pulled away.
A 13-1 SHU second-half run -- led by five points by Clark and four from Kosovich -- culminated with a go-ahead layup by Justin Distelrath (Saint Clair, Mich./Cardinal Mooney), who put Siena Heights ahead 58-57 with 13:13 to go.
Distelrath also gave the Saints their final lead at 60-59 with a jumper. Saint Xavier then rattled off six straight points -- the beginning of a 26-19 stretch in which it went 15 of 23 from the free throw line.
The Saints led by as many as four in the first half when Clark buried a 3-pointer to put SHU up 21-17.
Saint Xavier eventually broke a 26-all tie with a 10-2 run, getting eight points from Jack Krieger during the streak. The hosts built a 45-34 lead before Siena Heights closed the period with five points -- a 3 from Clark and a layup by Chris Lemm (Clinton Township, Mich./Chippewa Valley) -- to forge a 45-39 halftime score.
Brad Karp was the Cougars' leader, compiling 38 points and 13 rebounds. Ed Gilgenbach added 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Mark Peters contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
In other tournament action, Columbia (Mo.) defeated Aquinas, 66-57, and Saint Ambrose (Iowa) defeated Mount Marty (S.D.), 73-64.
The action will resume on Thursday when the Saints take on fellow Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference member Aquinas at 7 p.m. EST in a non-conference matchup. Saint Xavier will meet Mount Marty at 3 and, in the tournament championship game, Saint Ambrose will face Columbia at 5.