Morse’s 44 not enough for YSU men

UIC’s 8-1 closing run

takes down Penguins

Staff/wire reports

CHICAGO

Cameron Morse matched his career best and set the UIC Pavilion record with 44 points, but the Penguins lost to Illinois-Chicago 84-81 on Thursday night.

Dominique Matthews scored a career-high 28 points and the Flames (13-12, 6-6 Horizon League) closed on an 8-1 run to beat the Penguins (10-16, 4-9).

Morse made a 3-pointer to give YSU its last lead, 80-76, with 3:28 to play. K.J. Santos made a pair of free throws and Tarkus Ferguson hit a 3 and the Flames led 81-80. Morse missed 3-pointers on the Penguins’ next two possessions, and Clint Robinson made two free throws to stretch the lead to 83-80.

Morse and Mathews each split a pair of free throws to cap the scoring with 16 seconds left. Morse and Braun Hartfield both missed 3-point attempts on the final possession.

Matthews was 11 of 17 from the floor and made five 3-pointers. Tai Odiase added 12 points for UIC.

Morse was 18 of 38, including 6 of 15 from long range for the Penguins. The six 3-pointers tied a career-high for Morse and the 18 field goals are a career-best and matched the UIC Pavilion record.

Morse also tied the YSU record for most career 40-point games with four, and became just the third player in school history with four games with 40 or more points. The last player with four 40-point games was John McElroy (1965-69).

Matt Donlan added 13 points for YSU.

Morse scored 84 points in the two games between YSU and UIC this season, but the Penguins lost both of them.

The Flames won 92-89 in overtime on Jan. 14 at YSU’s Beeghly Center. Morse was 15 of 35 and scored 40 points in that loss.

The Penguins face Horizon League-leading Valparaiso at 8 p.m. on Saturday at Athletics-Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Ind.