Cleveland State, Milwaukee See Seasons Come to an End

Men’s Basketball Scoreboard:
CBI: Texas Christian 83, Milwaukee 73
NIT: (3) Stanford 76, (6) Cleveland State 65

Road trips to start postseason tournaments took similar turns for Milwaukee and Cleveland State, as both saw their seasons come to a close after losses.

CBI: Texas Christian 83, Milwaukee 73
Milwaukee could never get over the hump in an 83-73 loss to Texas Christian in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational presented by Zebra Pen.

Trying to hand Texas Christian (18-14) just its fourth loss of the year at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, Milwaukee (20-14) was able to pull into a 44-44 tie, only to see the Horned Frogs knock down three-pointers on three of their next four possessions to open a 55-48 lead.

The Panthers, who never led in the game, would close within three points at 67-64 after a Ryan Haggerty tip-in with 6:05 to play, but TCU came back down and threaded a pass through the Milwaukee zone to spur a 6-0 burst that brought it back to a nine-point Horned Frog advantage.

Still, Milwaukee came back once more, as Tony Meier saved a missed Kaylon Williams free throw back to Williams. The senior found Meier in the corner, and his fourth three of the night brought the Panthers within four, 75-71, with 3:12 remaining.

The assist was Williams’ 10^th of the night; the senior tallied his second double-double of the year, adding 14 points.

TCU’s final three of the night came on its next possession, and broke the proverbial camel’s back, restoring the Horned Frogs’ seven-point lead. The Panthers would come no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Craig Williams and Amric Fields had 15 points apiece to lead six players in double figures for TCU; the Horned Frogs shot 50 percent from the field and went 10-for-21 from three-point range. Milwaukee entered the night fifth in the nation, holding opponents to 28.5 percent shooting from three-point range.

Conversely, Milwaukee was just 8-of-30 from three-point range.

Meier finished with a team-high 18 points in his final collegiate contest. James Haarsma had 17 before fouling out with over four minutes to play.

NIT: (3) Stanford 76, (6) Cleveland State 65
Turnovers killed the Cleveland State Vikings late Tuesday night, as Stanford converted 21 turnovers into 29 points in a 76-65 win in the first round of the NIT at Maples Pavilion.

Cleveland State (22-11) saw its season come to an end in the NIT for the second straight year, while Stanford (22-11) advances to the second round.

The Vikings trailed by a single point, 31-30, at the half, and a Tim Kamczyc three seemed to get CSU off on the right foot to start the half. However, eight turnovers in the first 7:26 of the second half helped Stanford build a 49-39 advantage and the Vikings could not mount a comeback as injuries took their toll.

Trey Harmon missed most of the second half after apparently bruising his knee, while D’Aundray Brown was noticeably hobbled by a nagging groin injury that helped submarine Cleveland State’s at-large hopes in the beginning of February.

Cleveland State found itself down 10 in the first half as well, only to outscore Stanford, 18-7 over the majority of the half to take a brief 25-24 lead with 3:51 left in the half. Aaron Pogue’s layup gave the Vikings a 30-28 advantage in the closing seconds of the first before a three-pointer sent Stanford into the locker room with the lead.

Jeremy Montgomery knocked down all three of his three-pointers in the second half, leading the Vikings with 15 points. The senior was joined in double figures by Kamczyc, who had 13.

Three Cardinal finished in double figures, led by Aaron Bright’s 16. Josh Owens and Anthony Brown each finished with 15.

Stanford had 12 turnovers against a Cleveland State team that entered the night forcing 16.6 per game, limiting the Vikings’ chances of getting out in transition for easy baskets.

For the Vikings, the careers of Montgomery, Brown, Harmon and Pogue came to an end, with the class reaching the NCAA tournament (2009) and two NITs (2011, 2012).