LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding University men's basketball team lost a hard fought game at MacMurray College, 64-60, Saturday in Jacksonville, Ill. The Golden Eagles fall to 4-6 overall and 2-2 in SLIAC play, while MacMurray improves to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in conference.

THE BASICS
THE SCORE: MacMurray 64 – Spalding 60
LOCATION: Bill Wall Gymnasium, Jacksonville, Ill.
RECORD: Spalding 4-6 (2-2 SLIAC), MacMurray 2-5 (1-3 SLIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Golden Eagles had trouble finding the bottom of the net in the first half shooting 29.6% from the field with a 1-of-9 mark from three-point range. MacMurray stretched their lead to as many as 15 points late in the half, but a 4-0 SU spurt capped off by a Dominique Ellis jumper at the horn trimmed the margin to 11 points, 37-26, at halftime. The Golden Eagles slowly chipped away at the Mac lead in the second half eventually cutting the deficit to one point on an Ellis layup with 7:07 to play. However, the Highlanders responded with a 6-0 run and SU went on to fall by four, 64-60.

- Dominique Ellis led Spalding with an efficient 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Senior Brandon Williams also finished in double figures scoring 10 points, while pulling down a team-high eight rebounds.  

- The two determining stats were points in the paint and field goal percentage. MacMurray bullied their way to a 38-16 points in the paint advantage. The Highlanders also outshot SU from the field 48% to 36.8%.

FOR THE FOES
- Brent Long paced the Highlanders with a double-double scoring 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while hitting the boards for 13 rebounds. Marshall Corbin also finished in double digits adding 12 points.    

UP NEXT
- This marks SU's final game of 2017. The Golden Eagles will resume action January 3 against Eureka College. Tipoff is 9:00 pm EST in Eureka, Ill.