Badgers Falter in Second Half, 67-72

The Spring Hill College Badgers saw a 17-point 48-31 lead with 15:24 remaining on the second half clock evaporate over the following 12 minutes as the William Carey University Crusaders took a 72-67 home victory on Thursday night.

Carey took their first lead of the contest at 65-63 with 2:22 on the clock when an Alex Eberle jump shot found its mark, but Badger forward Noah Woolridge immediately answered with a lay up off an offensive rebound to tie the game at 65 apiece.

Over the final 90 second, Eberle and Kyle Lamonte would close out the game for the Crusaders by making seven of eight free throws while the Badgers could manage only two free throws by Jeremy Price.

Woolridge, who scored his 1,200th career point during the second half, led the Badgers with 17 points.  Marcus Coleman added 15 points while sophomore center Owen McNally of Long Beach, Miss., pulled in 12 rebounds and scored nine points. 

As a team, the Badgers shot 41% (27-66) from the field and continued to prove why they are ranked as the best 3-point shooting team in the NAIA, making 9-22 (41%) from behind the arc.  At the free throw line, however, Spring Hill made just four of 11 (36%) attempts.

William Carey’s Eberle led all scorers with 22 points and also had 11 rebounds.  LaMonte dropped in another 19 points for the Crusaders (14-11, 5-8 GCAC) while Dexter Middleton picked up 11 points.  The Badgers out-rebounded Carey 38 to 34 and committed 13 turnovers to WCU’s 14 turnovers.

The Spring Hill College (15-9, 7-6 GCAC) men now travel to Loyola University-New Orleans on Saturday for a match scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.