Shorthanded Pride Lose Conference Opener 83-79

FAYETTE, Mo. – Coming into tonight's contest without their starting point guard or center, the Clarke University men's basketball team began their Heart of America Conference season with a 83-79 defeat against Central Methodist University on Saturday evening.

Playing without Chris Burnell for the second straight game and Jacob Fierst missing his first of the season, the Pride called upon junior Daquon Lewis, who made his second straight start, as well as sophomore transfer Lajarrion Spinks, who made his first start of the season this evening.

The Pride went into the locker room up five after an efficient first half netted them 46 points. They shot 51% from the floor and 8-17 from deep for 47%. Biggie Luster and Anthony Eddy led the Pride attack in the first half with 15 points and 13 points, respectfully.

The Pride kept their lead until 12:52 remaining in the second half, when the Eagles capped off a 9-4 run with a James Jordon three-pointer that gave the Eagles a 60-58 lead. The Pride would answer right back on their ensuing possession with a three of their own as Eddy would convert on one of his five threes on the night to retake the lead at 61-60.

The Eagles would go on another run, this time a 10-0 run that would take three minutes off the game clock and the Eagles would have a 75-68 lead with just over six minutes to play in regulation.

The Pride would have one final push in them, as they would have multiple opportunities to tie or take the lead, however two costly turnovers in the final two minutes of gameplay helped the Eagles get to 2-0 in conference play.

"I'm really proud of our guys," Pride head coach Jim Blaine said, "We couldn't ask for more from them. We got the game we wanted and to CMU's credit they beat us as a jump shooting team. I'm confident we'll stay together and continue to reinvent ourselves."

CMU's leading scorer, James Jordon led the way for the Eagles again tonight as he finished with 17 points, with seven of them coming from the free-throw stripe. Josh Noton and Everett Stubblefield each made three from deep and finished with 16 and 15, respectfully.

Leading the way for the Pride, Eddy finished with 26 points on 10-19 (53%) and Luster finished with 19 points on 7-12 (58%). Spinks was productive in his start and came away with 16 points on 7-12 (58%) from the floor.

The Pride will come home and play Graceland University on Tuesday, November 29th for a 7:30 pm CST tip-off.