Evidently a week off from competition before Saturday night's game at NAIA, Thomas More University, may have been too much of a break for the Golden Eagles. They stumbled early and often as they succumbed to the hot-shooting Saints in their first loss of the season, 87-62.
KSU Tusc trailed 7-0 before they knew what hit them, as the hosts tossed in 17/26 first half shots (65%) making 4/9 three-point attempts. As the sluggish Eagles fell behind, they tried shooting their way back from the arc where they finished a disastrous 0/7 in the opening 20 minutes. They were also just 1/6 from two-point range to open the game.
They got their first basket of the game on a Kameron Shockley lay up at the 17:49 mark and trailed just 12-6, before a 13-0 Saints run over the next 4:22 spoiled their momentum and put them in a 25-6 hole. Enter Kyle Shockley!
The younger Shockley scored seven straight Golden Eagles points highlighted by a steal and dunk, but the navy and gold still trailed 28-13. Despite the Shockley duos first half efforts---they scored 17 of KSU Tusc's first half points---the Eagles still trailed 39-21 at the break and committed 12 first half turnovers.
Kyle Shockley was the only Eagle in double digits with 15 points on 5/8 field goal shooting and was also 5/6 from the free throw line. Kameron Shockley scored nine and Nick Wancik and Gabe Green added eight points each off the bench.
On Saturday, November 19th the Golden Eagles (2-1) host Cincinnati Clermont in a 1:00 p.m. tip off.
Jaki Royal looks for an opening in the defense.
Kyle Shockley floats to the basket on a dunk.
(Photos by Lindsey Nicholson)