It wasn't picture perfect by any means.
Alonzo Mourning might have been satisfied that the Golden Eagles produced their third straight win, but their lackluster performance in outlasting Penn State Beaver 62-58 Wednesday evening could be a wake up call.
Nobody could have guessed there would be a tight ending after the Eagles held the Lions scoreless for the first five minutes of the game while taking an 8-0 lead. Despite the fast start, the offense became anemic and they were sleepy on defense at times.
Following an 8-0 PSB run that got them to within 13-12, the Eagles went on an 11-0 streak of their own to take a 24-12 advantage. The Lions however, outscored KSU Tusc 10-5 to end the half and closed the gap to single digits at 29-22.
Things remained even early in the final half as the Eagles held a 37-31 lead with 12:36 left in the game. Then the Lions converted a steal into an easy basket and a KSU Tusc turnover into another one as they trailed by just a single hoop (37-35). PSB made a three-point-play the old-fashioned way on an offensive stick back to take their first lead of the game, 38-37, with 11:32 left to play.
Over the next two and one-half minutes the two teams traded baskets six times, until a DeJuan Lawrence turnaround jumper in the lane with 9:08 showing put the Eagles back on top 43-42. It was a lead they would not relinquish building an eight-point, 56-48 lead.
Penn State Beaver would get no closer than two points until near the end and the game was not without drama.
A 5-0 run by the Lions that included a wide open three-point shot at the 1:44 mark got them to within 56-53. Kameron Shockley however, got a lay in off an inbounds pass with 1:32 left to give the Eagles some breathing room at 58-53.
With 1:16 left the Eagles were whistled for a foul contesting a rebound and the Lions made good on two free throws to make the score 58-55. The Eagles promptly turned the ball over with :57.1 to go, but with :37 left PSB missed a potential game tying shot from behind the arc.
It looked as if the Eagles would salt the game away at the foul line with :22.3 left, but they missed the front end of a bonus free throw situation. Thankfully the carom bounced to London Cobbs, who was fouled on the play. He made both chances for a five-point, 60-55 Eagles lead.
At the :14.9 mark, PSB had an opportunity at the charity stripe to make it a one possession game. They made the first of a single bonus situation and missed the second, but grabbed the errant shot despite four Golden Eagles stationed along the free throw lane compared to just two Lions. The Lions got off a shot in traffic that fell through the net with :12.3 left and trailed just 60-58.
With :08.2 left, Cobbs was fouled again and calmly stepped to the line and sank both tosses of a one-and-one. He virtually iced the game as he put the Eagles ahead 62-58. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief as the ensuing inbounds pass went for naught.
Cobbs led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 16 point and tallied 14 of them in the final 20 minutes. He was perfect from the free throw line and made 6/6 for the game, the last four tosses sealing the victory. Shockley scored 13 points and Lawrence added 11 along with 12 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
The Eagles third straight victory ups their record to 5-3 on the year. They travel to Ohio University Lancaster on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. start.
DeJuan Lawrence lays in two of his 11 points and also contributed 12 rebounds.
London Cobbs was a perfect 6/6 from the free throw line versus PSU Beaver.
(Photos by Lindsey Nicholson)