LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding University men's basketball team defeated the Iowa Wesleyan Tigers, 64-51, Saturday afternoon at Derek Smith Gymnasium. With the win, the Eagles improved to 9-5 on the season and 6-1 in SLIAC play, while the Tigers fell to 5-7 and 2-5.
 
Brandon Goeing and Brandon Gabriel lead the Eagles with both scoring in double figures. Goeing paced the Eagles with 20 points and Gabriel added 13 points, going a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line.
 
The Eagles eased to a 10-0 lead to start the game. Eight of the ten points came from the hot hand of Goeing. The Tigers started to find the basket fighting back to cut SU's lead to one point at 11-12 following a C.J. Singletary made jumper at the 11:03 mark. Both teams went back and forth the rest of the half and the Eagles went to the break leading 30-25. Goeing lead all scores at half with 13.
 
The Tigers came out of the locker room swinging to start the second half. IWC opened the half on a 10-5 run knotting the score at 35 with 13:58 to play following a pair of made free throws by Mitch Drey. When it looked like the Eagles were starting to fade, Jovante Lavendar corralled a rebound following a block by James Abrams, and hit a streaking James Turner on a fast break who cocked it back for an impressive two-handed dunk to put the Eagles ahead 39-35. Following Turner's dunk, the Eagles closed the game on a 25-16 run pushing their lead to 13 for the 54-51 win.
 
Up next, the Golden Eagles will host conference foe Webster University Wednesday, January 14 at 8:00 p.m. EST in Derek Smith Gymnasium.   
 
Courtesy of Donte Ellison