Back-And-Forth Game Goes Against the Mustangs

Erik Holth, CBC Sports Information Director

            St. Louis, Mo. – Wrapping up the first half of American Midwest Conference play this afternoon, Central Baptist College men's basketball was at the Emerson Performance Center to take on the Hornets of Harris-Stowe State University. In a game that featured seven ties and 13 lead changes, CBC (13-6, 5-3 AMC) led by a point at halftime, but squandered an opportunity to complete a second-half comeback, falling 78-77 to HSSU (5-9, 4-4 AMC).

            Brevin Brimble once again paced the Mustangs with 21 points while Gabe Johnson pitched in with 15, Braylon Steen added 14 and Devon Jefferson had 10 off the bench. James Moore grabbed 10 of CBC's 23 total rebounds as CBC shot the ball well from the field, but couldn't stop HSSU, who also shot over 50 percent from the floor while outscoring CBC in the paint 30-18.

GAME FLOW

            Nine of the 13 lead changes happened in the first 20 minutes as neither team led by more than eight. CBC would take a 38-37 lead into halftime and quickly stretched the lead to six inside the first minute of the second half. CBC held the lead until the 14:25 mark when HSSU took a 50-47 lead with a tie breaking three, which spurned a 10-1 run by HSSU to put CBC in a 57-48 hole with 13 minutes left. CBC fought back, cutting the deficit to one, 70-69, with just over three minutes to play. Following a Hornet layup, Brimble's fourth three of the afternoon tied the score at 72 before HSSU went down to the other end retook a 74-72 lead with a layup. Brimble would tie the game again at 74 and then would give CBC their final lead of the contest, 77-76, on his fifth and final three of the game with 1:15 left to play. A jumper by the Hornets with 37 seconds left gave them a 78-77 lead and CBC had two chances to win, but a missed three and a turnover saw the Mustangs come up empty and fall.

UP NEXT

            CBC steps out of American Midwest Conference play for the final time this season on Tuesday night when they welcome the Panthers of Philander Smith College into A.R. Reddin Fieldhouse. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.