Eureka Rally Denied at the Buzzer in Loss to Spalding

EUREKA, Ill. – The Eureka men's basketball team stormed back late, but the comeback fell short as the tying shot rimmed out at the buzzer, allowing Spalding to escape with a 52-49 win Thursday evening.

The opening half featured back-and-forth action with Eureka finding success from the perimeter early. Ben Carter (Morton, Ill./Morton) and Max Richardson (LaHarpe, Ill./Illini West) each connected from deep to help Eureka match Spalding basket-for-basket, while Andrew Coker (Washington, Ill./Washington Community) provided a steady presence in the paint. Spalding countered with strong interior scoring from Devonte McCampbell and Jaelen Leavell, allowing the Golden Eagles to carry a slight advantage into the break at 23-22.

Eureka made its move late, sparked by consecutive baskets from Coker, including a pair of strong finishes in the lane that trimmed the deficit to three in the final minute. With a chance to put the game away in the closing seconds, Spalding missed the front end of a one-and-one at the free-throw line, breathing new life into the Red Devils. Inbounding with just three seconds remaining, Eureka got the look it wanted from deep, but the game-tying three rattled out at the buzzer, allowing Spalding to escape as time expired.

Coker led the Red Devils with 14 points, while Richardson added nine points. Carter chipped in eight points and six rebounds as Eureka finished with three players scoring eight or more in the loss. 

UP NEXT

The Red Devils continue conference play on Monday as they get ready to host Greenville in their first meeting with the Panthers this season. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.