Red Devils Handle Greenville in SLIAC Opener, 131-109
EUREKA, Ill. – Seven Eureka College men's basketball players scored in double figures, including a game-high 34 points from junior guard Shea Feehan (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame H.S.), and junior forward Alex Wiegand (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S.) hauled down a career-high 14 rebounds as the Red Devils handled defending St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion Greenville Wednesday in a 131-109 league win at Christine Bonati Bollwinkle Arena.
Wiegand had a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds. Jordan Dehm (Metamora, Ill./Metamora H.S.) also logged a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards and Brady Sanders (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest H.S./Illinois Wesleyan) gave the hosts three double-doubles with 13 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.
The Red Devils trailed for less than two minutes early Wednesday. Eureka seized a 14-12 lead with 15:10 left in the first half thanks to an Austin Juergens (Pekin, Ill./Pekin H.S.) layup. Johari Dix briefly pushed GU back into the lead less than two minutes later, but Koby White (Brimfield, Ill./Brimfield H.S.) bumped EC in front for good with a 3-pointer for a 20-18 cushion at the 13:35 mark of the half.
White's triple triggered a 17-0 run by the hosts. Hank Thomas (Peoria, Ill./Richwoods H.S.) capped the surge with a layup for a 34-18 lead with 10:18 to play before halftime. EC led by as many as 19 later in the half on another bucket from Juergens. The lead was 63-47 at halftime.
Eureka exploded out of the gate with a 15-0 run to start the second half for a 78-47 lead – its largest of the night -- and wasn't challenged again. Rakim Murphy dragged the Panthers back within 17 with a layup in the final five minutes, but Wiegand answered with an interior bucket and EC coasted to 1-0 in the SLIAC.
The Red Devils shot 58 percent for the game. All five starters reach double figures and shot at least 50 percent from the floor. Thomas followed Feehan with 28 points. Juergens tallied 12 points eight eight assists and Ryan McElmurry (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg H.S./Black Hawk) poured in 11. Eureka made the Panthers pay at the free throw line, going 28-for-36 for the game, and outrebounded the visitors 64-51. EC outscored GU in the paint, 82-40.
Isiah Price came off the bench for 21 points to lead the visitors, including a 5-for-6 performance from beyond the arc. GU made just 39 of 113 field goal attempts and went 17-for-61 from 3-point range.
Eureka will look to move to 2-0 in the SLIAC Saturday in a 3 p.m. road contest at MacMurray in Jacksonville, Ill.
