Basketball Team 2012-13

Maroon Tigers Extend One Streak End Another

| By: Yusuf Davis
January 26, 2013 – ATLANTA – In the battle of winning streaks, the Maroon Tigers came up best, stretching their streak to nine games and ending the Benedict Tigers' streak at seven, with a 68-65 win.
 
With the streak now at nine games, Morehouse (10-5, 8-0) is on the best run of victories since 2002-2003 and increases the hold on first place in the SIAC.
 
In addition to extending the winning streak, Morehouse broke a 16-game losing streak against Benedict, which dated back to 2004.  
 
Andrae Nelson had a monster game, with 25 points and a career-high 21 rebounds. He added four steals, three assists and an assist.
 
The battle of the streaking Tigers was a game of ebb and flow. Morehouse jumped out to a 13-2 lead then allowed a 28-12 Benedict run. Morehouse stopped the surge near the end of the half and trailed 34-30 at the break.   
 
Shawn Allen ignited the Morehouse attack in the second half. His three pointer on the first possession sparked an 18-9 Maroon Tiger run that put them ahead for good. Allen finished with 10 points and five rebounds.
 
As in the Monday's win over Claflin, the Maroon Tigers almost shot themselves in the foot with poor free-throw shooting. In the first half, the Maroon Tigers missed 9 of 16 free throws and a chance to amass a huge lead.
 
But just like in the Claflin game the Maroon Tigers hit critical free throws in the waning seconds. This time, it was Michael Zeigler who made the pressure freebies. With eight seconds remaining and Morehouse ahead, 66-65, Zeigler calmly hit nothing but net to seal the final score.  
 
Turnovers also became a factor, as the Maroon Tigers committed six of their 23 turnovers in the final three minutes. The miscues let Benedict chip away at a seven-point lead and take the game to a nail-biting finish.
 
The saving grace for Morehouse was the 50-33 rebounding advantage.
 
Nelson, who SIAC coaches projected would be the Player of the Year, did most of his damage against Marcus Goode (6'-10” 295) who was last seasons' POY.
 
Among the SIAC leaders in scoring and rebounding, Darrius Williams poured in 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, for his fourth double-double of the season.
 
Austin Anderson and Malcolm Frank contributed six points each.
 
Tydran Beaty (17 pts.), Xavier Collier (13 pts.) and Goode (10 pts.) did most of the scoring for the Benedict Tigers, who will face Clark Atlanta, on Monday.   
 
Nelson, whose career high is 31 points, recorded the best set of numbers by any Morehouse player since 2004, when center Ronald Thompson had 28 points, 18 rebounds and five assists, against Lane. 
 
Morehouse will face another tough challenger, Monday, at 7:30 p.m., when the Paine College Lions visit Forbes Arena.
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