Nov. 4, 2009

Box Score

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Six players scored in double figures as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville rolled to a 94-64 victory over MacMurray in exhibition men's basketball play.

The Cougars rolled in the second half, exciting the crowd of 1,276 with three dunks in the second half from LeShaun Murphy and Anthony Mitchell.

The razzle-dazzle wasn't what SIUE Coach Lennox Forrester was focusing upon in the first of two exhibition games. It wasn't even who provided all of the scoring.

"You want to see if they can carry over what we've been working on both offensively and defensively in practice," said Forrester. "We want to see what combinations (of players) work well together."

SIUE exploded for 59 points in the second half and spread around the offense. Murphy and Kevin Stineman led the team in scoring with 15 points each as the team shot 54.9 percent for the game. SIUE shot a solid 65.7 percent (23 of 35) in the second half.

Aamir McCleary chipped in 13 points and added a game-high seven assists. Cody Rincker and David Boarden added 12 while Mitchell finished with 11.

Jerel Robertson led MacMurray with 20 points. The Highlanders were held to 37.1 percent shooting for the exhibition contest.

Forrester said this was the first time his team has been in a game situation on the new, upgraded Vadalabene Center floor. "Our guys handled it well," added Forrester.

SIUE gets another opportunity during the exhibition season when its entertains Illinois College on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Cougars open the regular season at the University of Illinois on the 13th.

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