CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Fighting Leatherneck men's basketball team struggled offensively in their loss Thursday evening (Feb. 9), as they connected on just 34.9% of their shots from the floor (15-43) and dropped their second straight Summit League tilt at Southern Utah, 60-44.
SUU improves to 13-12 overall and 8-7 in Summit League games with the victory, while Western falls to 13-10 and 7-7 in league action.
Senior guard Ceola Clark III finished with a team-high 15 points for the Leathernecks, while freshman forward Obi Emegano (14) and senior guard Tommie Tyler (10) each finished in double figures as well. Junior forward Terell Parks grabbed a team-high six rebounds, and Tyler finished with a team-best two helpers.
Western was never able to find a rhythm offensively, struggling from the field (34.9%), from three (22.2%), and the charity stripe (54.5%). After struggling in the first half, the Thunderbirds connected on 60% of their shots in the second, and finished the game with a 50.0 shooting percentage.
The Leathernecks turned the ball over only seven times, but finished the game with just five assists to Southern Utah's 19.
Late in the first half the Leathernecks were able to pull away to the largest advantage either team had in the first, 19-14, with just less than five minutes remaining until intermission.
Southern Utah, however, was able to put together a 9-4 run to end the half and take a 23-22 into the break.
Neither team was able to find their stroke in the first with Western connecting on only 34.8% of their shots, and Southern Utah making only 39.1% of theirs.
The back-and-forth battle continued into the second half with SUU eventually clawing its way to a 37-29 lead, but Western rattled off eight straight points to knot things back up, this time at 37-37 with 11:21 left in the game.
A jumper from Emegano gave the Leathernecks their first and only lead of the second half, 39-38, with just under 10:28 to play.
It was all downhill from there for the Leathernecks as SUU finished the game on a 22-5 run to cap off its 60-44 win.
The Leathernecks continue their Summit League road trip Saturday when they make their way to Tulsa, Okla. to face the Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts at 7:05 p.m. ORU remains first in The Summit League, owners of a 22-5 overall mark and a 14-1 league record.
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