Sykes finds his aim, guns down SE

MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Marquis Sykes is known more for passing than shooting.

But Thursday night, it was the latter that helped keep Morehead State afloat in the first half while Eagles' star Ricky Minard struggled.

And once Minard got going in the second half, the Eagles had more than enough to blow past visiting Southeast Missouri State University 91-75.

Morehead, winning for the seventh time in eight games, improved to 13-8 overall and 7-3 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Southeast, with its eighth straight defeat, fell to 3-19 and 1-10.

Sykes, the OVC's leader in assists who averages 8.5 points per game, entered Thursday's contest having hit nine of 29 3-pointers this season.

But against Southeast, the junior point guard went 4-for-4 from 3-point range in the opening half on his way to 14 points.

Minard gets hot

Then Minard, the OVC's third-leading scorer at 22.4 points per game, broke loose for 22 second-half points to finish with 25.

"They sent two players at Ricky in the first half and I got a lot of open looks," said Sykes, who had 22 points. "I can score, but I know that's not my role."

Chez Marks came off the bench to hit four of five 3-pointers and score 14 points for Morehead. Ike Lopez added 11 points. Derek Winans led the Indians with 19 points. Brett Hale had 16 and Tim Scheer 14.

The Indians led by three at halftime and stretched the lead to 56-48, but then Minard got going. His four-point play -- a 3-pointer and free throw -- pulled Morehead to within 56-52 and seemed to spark the Eagles.

The Indians were up 61-55 when the Eagles used an 11-0 run -- which included an intentional foul call on Southeast that had Garner howling -- to take control.

With 11:48 left, Sykes broke away for a layup with Daniel Weaver giving Chase. Weaver appeared to be going for the ball as he fouled Sykes, but Weaver was whistled for an intentional foul, which means two free throws and possession. Sykes made both foul shots and the Eagles scored on the ensuing play to pull within 61-59.

A momentum shift

"It was a huge call, a huge play," said Garner, who did not directly say whether he thought it was a bad call. It is against OVC policy to criticize the officiating. "You never know how things will turn out, but that was big."

Minard's layup tied it at 61-61 and Marks' 3-pointer with 9:29 left put Morehead up for good at 64-61. The spurt ended on a Marks layup that made it 66-61.

Southeast closed to within 66-63, but Minard banked in a 3-pointer to make it 69-63 and the Eagles were well on their way.

"We played a good first half, but it's the same old story," Garner said. "We can't get over the hump in the second half."

Southeast shot 50 percent for the game and had 15 turnovers. Morehead shot 48 percent and committed 13 turnovers.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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