Central Michigan University
Morehead State
Kellermann Leads Chippewas Past Morehead State, 87-76
2/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2006
MOUNT PLEASANT - Despite their shooting slumps this season, Central Michigan University basketball coach Jay Smith continued to tell his players to "just keep shooting."
They did just that on Saturday in an 87-76 home nonconference win over Morehead State.
Freshman Chris Kellermann, who was a combined 3-for-15 from the floor and 1-for-9 from three-point range in the previous three games, tossed in a career-high 25 points to lead the Chippewas to the victory.
He was 8-for-14 from the floor and 4-for-7 from three-point range, including hitting a key trey with 3:22 left that bumped the Chippewas' lead back up to six after the visiting Eagles had trimmed CMU's 22-point cushion down to just three late in the contest.
A balanced attack was key for the Maroon and Gold as five players hit double figures. Sefton Barrett, Giordan Watson and freshman Aaron Richie all had 14 points apiece and Eddie Spencer added 10. Justin Blevins just missed out on CMU's double-figure party with nine points.
CMU improves to 4-19 overall while MSU falls to 4-21. Saturday's game was a matchup that resulted from the wildcard scheduling of the pool of teams eligible for ESPN's BracketBusters presented by eBay event.
The Chippewas have now won their BracketBusters game each of the last three years.
Four MSU players scored in double figures with Tyke Cockerham leading the way with 21 points. Shaun Williams added a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards.
Morehead State jumped out to a five-point lead 11 minutes in but the Chippewas rattled off a 12-0 run to take the lead before stretching it to 11 at the half, 38-27.
CMU used three triples in the opening five minutes of the second half to build the lead up to 22 points, but the Eagles responded with an 18-2 run to cut it down to a six-point game, 59-53, with 10:37 left.
MSU whittled it down to a one-possession affair at 68-65 with just over five minutes left when Williams split a pair of free throws. It was close after that until a Sefton Barrett putback dunk made it 76-70 with two-and-a-half minutes left. The Chippewas didn't get another field goal the rest of the way but CMU sealed the win by going 11-for-16 from the line under the two-minute mark.
Both teams shot 49 percent from the floor and the rebounding was pretty even with MSU holding a slight 32-30 advantage. The big difference in the game was free throw attempts as CMU made 26-of-36 (.722) while the visiting team made 16-of-19 (.842). The Chippewas also hit nine three-pointers to Morehead's four.
CMU heads on the road next week for a pair of games, playing at Mid-American Conference West Division co-leaders Northern Illinois (Wednesday) and Western Michigan (Saturday).
NOTES:
- CMU's win snapped a seven-game losing streak, which tied its longest of the season.
- Sefton Barrett has now scored in double figures in six straight games, the longest streak by a Chippewa this season.
- CMU's 87 points were their second most this season behind 89 against Rochester College.
- Both teams scored 49 points in the second half. It marked the most points CMU has scored in a half this season and the most the Chippewas have allowed in a half as well.
- CMU blocked eight shots in the game and Sefton Barrett tied his career high with five swats.
- Aaron Richie's 14 points were two shy of his career high. It was his fourth double-figure game of the season.
- Chris Kellermann's 25 points marked CMU's 10th 20-point game this season. Sefton Barrett has five, Giordan Watson four and Kellermann now one.
- Chris Kellermann's team-high 25 points marked the third time this season he's led the squad in scoring.
