EUREKA, Ill. – The Spalding men's basketball team cut a 22-point deficit down to seven points with 4:12 to play, but could not complete the comeback falling, 79-72, to Eureka. The loss drops the Golden Eagles to 8-10 overall and 7-4 in conference.
 
THE BASICS
THE SCORE: Eureka 79 – Spalding 72
LOCATION: Bollwinkle Arena | Eureka, Ill.  
RECORDS: Spalding 8-10 (7-4 SLIAC) | Eureka 6-10 (5-5 SLIAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the first half, Spalding jumped out to an early 8-6 lead fueled by six points from the front court combination of Brendan Holt and Troy Amanor. The Red Devils responded with a 13-5 spurt taking a six-point lead with 7:31 to play in the half on a Jordan Dehm three-pointer. The Golden Eagles would keep the margin at six for most of the half, but Eureka would close the period on a 10-2 run and SU trailed 38-24 at the half.
 
- Spalding trimmed the deficit to 12 points early in the second half when Keith Wallace knocked down a jumper in transition to make the score, 43-31, with 16:20 to play. However, the Red Devils stretched their lead to 22 points behind a 17-7 run. Trailing 64-42 with 9:32 remaining, Dominique Ellis caught fire, scoring 10 points as part of a 19-4 SU spurt cutting the deficit to seven points with 4:12 to go. After a pair of missed free throws, Spalding had the ball with and a chance to make it a two-possession game, but freshman Jobby Howard missed the mark on an ill-advised three-pointer from 30 feet out and the Red Devils Hank Thomas converted a pair of free throws on the other end to push the margin back to nine. Eureka would go onto extend the lead back to 12 points. The Golden Eagles would finish the game plus-five cutting the margin to seven on an Amanor layup with 16 ticks left on the clock as SU fell, 79-72.  

- Four Golden Eagles finished in double-figures led by Domo Ellis' 14 points, while going 6-of-12 from the field. Marcus Montgomery had an off night, but finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Holt and Wallace each recorded 10 points and four rebounds. Amanor and Steven Gordon also had solid outings. Amanor ended the game with 8 points and 9 rebounds, while Gordon tallied 6 points and 4 assists in 15 minutes.
 
FOR THE FOES
- Jordan Dehm paced the Red Devils recording a double-double scoring 16 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
 
UP NEXT
- The Golden Eagles are back in action Saturday, January 26 on the road at Iowa Wesleyan. Tip is 4:00 pm EST.