Show 'pae 199 Tke CTOIQ to Down to the wire nail biting finishes drop CEU to fourth place Number 44 Versille Shaw takes his usual flight to the basket against Salt Lake Community College as he has logged over 40 slam dunks this season to the thrills of each crowd Photos by Allen DeFriez hype was big Despite an unusually large amount of scats that should have otherwise been occupied the BDAC empty was filled with fans "Da Bullpen" wasn't about to let their Golden Pre-gam- by Nate Nielson sports editor Alter failing to achieve the desired results the Cl 1 hoopsters were forced to settle with a 2 record over the last two weekends ‘Hie two wins came in blowout fashion and the two losses both ended in nail biting finishes in which the outshot come was determined by a missed These losses did not dampen the spirits of the CEU hall dub but added extra motivation to keep improving every game SICC 47 CEU 76 The Salt Like Community College Bruins had a monumental struggle trying to make their way through the blizzard of CEU defenders The Golden Eagles unsympathetically smothered their opponent like a newly fallen blanket of snow CEU currently holds its opponents to 634 points a game which ranks as fourth best in the nation A collective team defensive arsenal is vital in being successful in the game of basketball The acrobatic spinning moves of guard Noel Jackson provided for excitement early on I Ic also gathered many steals one of which dunk of his own CEU maintained a comfortled to a lead able throughout Point guard Mitchell Johnson helped sustain bombs This game did not that lead by draining several offensive the season but it was good of best CEU's feature output enough to outdistance Salt Lake Defense was the key to this 1 2-- down-to-thc-wi- rc last-secon- two-hande- d d victory Eagles he shot down from their upward High! to the top Early on CEU wasn't crisp UVSC's defense hounded CEU guards interrupting their usual offensive continuity and causing turnovers Jackson picked up the slack and had the game of his life creating havoc for UVSC's defense The first half featured a series of amaing Jordancsquc spin moves by Jackson I le was the ' the catalyst sparking CEU's offensive effort CEU went in at halftime down hy eight Little hy little the Golden Eagles began to chip away at this deficit in the second half Vcrsilc Shaw Mocked a number of shots that he seemingly snatched from the rafters and threw hack down their throats This ignited the crowd and the CEU comeback The clutch shooting of Johnson kept it going When the game got tight towards tlic end neither team folded under pressure CEU found itself down by three with under a minute left with the hall Sixth man LincoInTaylor was left wide open at the top of the key astounded at how open he was decided to take the while in the held their breath Sure enough nothing but building everyone “go-io-g- uy three-point- 0 1 2 Udoka 7 0-- 0 15 Jackson 6 IS Newton 3 (Ml 6 13 Nielson 2 0-- 0 5 0 UVSC 87 CEU 85 In what was considered the most important game of the year thus far turned out to be its most consequential This game could very well determine the outcome of the region standings and who will host the region tournament in March which in turn has direct Much was at slake for CEU bearing on the region championship UVSC including a national ranking first in this game against rival and of course pride place position in region standings 21-1- 5 Miller I 3 Berry 2-- 3 2 er net! The game ultimately came down to one cull UVSC had the ball and the chance to break the lie Elliot of UVSC whittled the clock down to about eight seconds and proceeded to shake up Jackson and defender beat him drive past him But Jackson a great to the hole and took the charge after establishing position The referee then called a very questionable blocking foul to the and shock of the crowd Elliot hit them both forcing bomb to Shaw who skipped it CEU to throw a to Jackson who then missed the ensuing three-poileap and leaner from 35 feet out to win the game The game was so close but so far away UVSC just did the “little things" to win the game und countered every CEU offensive surge “I've never fell so 'on the road' at home before" mused Taylor while commenting on the officiating of the game Although this was one-on-o- CEU Shaw 6 0-Johnson 5 Taylor e ne length-of-thc-co- nt a tough loss Couch Beach challenged his players to stay locused and to not gel discouraged "Don't let this loss ruin your season It's only one loss" said Beach to his players 23 Udoka 51-2- 1 3 Ncwlon 3 4 0 Johnson 4 0-- 0 12 CEU Shaw V Jackson K 5 19 Taylor 2 2 7 Miller I 0-- 2 3-- 5-- 6 2-- 2-- 0 CEU 95 TVCC46 In a game that was played miles away in Oregon CEU ignored the woes of the road and showed up to play bull The Golden Eagles played one of their best defensive first halves of the season holding TVCC to a measly 9 points They shut down a lacklustered TVCC team in the first half and never looked hack Nate Nielson's three-poishooting from downtown kept the lead in tact for CEU in the second half CEU got a big boost off the bench especially from the centers who have lately become an “outside shooting threat" clcvcn-inch center Dolan Ruby unhcsilantly popped one from fell that through the net This was a very routine deep which in blowout everyone played 1 nt Six-fo- ot -- ho-hu- m 29 Udoka 5 0-- 0 1 1 Ncwlon 0 CEU Shaw 14 10 Niclson40-- 0 1 Taylor 5 Jackson 4 Miller 2 4 6 Dailey 2 0-- 4 Berry I 0-- 3 l- -l l- -l 1 2-- 0 2-- 2 2 Johnson 12 I 0-- 0 2 Raby 204)5 0 CEU 62 CSI65 CEU again ventured beyond enemy lines to face CSI in Twin Falls Idaho a team they had beaten earlier this season CSI came out of the gate by hitting their shots and pushing the ball upcourt CEU had a poor performance and dug a hole for themselves in the first half by being outhustlcd Hustle and defense would eventually allow them to spring out of this hole CEU's downfall early on was definitely rebounding or the inability to do so Down by at half and by as many as 5 CEU siurtcd to hang their heads and lose momentum Nevertheless they didn't give up due largely to the inspiring words of a confident coaching staff The banging and jumpers of Shaw demoralized the CSI defense Thesmcllofacomcbuckwasinlheair Taylor whose shooting light is slowly turning green first-ha- lf 1 1 low-po- st 1 fall-aw- ay Sea men's basketball on page 9 |