SIC survives scare from Simmons
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[All evening long it seemed like the Southeastern Illinois College Falcons kept allowing Simmons College (Louisville, Ky.) to keep hanging around. And after falling behind by five points with just five minutes to play in regulation, the Falcons had to rally back and got by the Panthers 58-54, wrapping up play at the Kiwanis Classic at Vincennes University Saturday night.
With his mom in attendance, freshman Troy Long scored 20 points, helping the Falcons escape the Hoosier State with their perfect record still intact in the early going.
"Every night is a different night. I knew we weren't playing very sharp offensively and I really felt if we could've ever got up by twelve or thirteen, we could've changed they game, but we weren't able to. I thought Simmons did everything they needed to do to win. They hit some timely threes and they pressured our guards, and they bothered us," SIC head coach Todd Franklin said.
Trailing 48-43 with just 5:02 to play, Long brought the Falcons (5-0) back to within 48-46 with one of his five three-pointers on the night.
The Cincinnati product then put Southeastern ahead at 51-50, following an offensive rebound bucket of his own.
Long and sophomore Moniè Hudson combined to hit of seven of nine free throws down the stretch as the Falcons defensive stiffened.
"I thought we played pretty good basketball the last five minutes. After we fell behind we made it tough on them defensively and got some steals that resulted in buckets when we swung the ball. Troy (Long) and DaQuan (Brown) played well all night and Mamadou (Seck) got active the last five minutes," Franklin said.
For the second time in three games, SIC center Mohamed Ntumba found himself in early foul trouble. Ntumba picked up two personals in the first 2:34 of the first half and scored all nine of his points in the second half.
"That hurt us, obviously," Franklin said of Ntumba picking up the two quick fouls. "We had planned on trying to go to him on the low block but it's hard to do if he's at the end bench. But that happens."
Even without Ntumba early, SIC still lead 28-20 at the break and even jumped out to a 34-24 lead after Ntumba scored the first SIC points out of halftime.
It was a nail-biter down the stretch for the Falcons once Simmons went on a 16-4 run from that point to lead 40-38 with just over 11:00 left.
Panthers' forward Courtney Stampley got on a roll, scoring all seven of his points in the second half.
"They went at us at the four spot. During that stretch of time they got some confidence their four-man and got three or four buckets, and I thought we tightened up. They just isolated and he (Stampley) put the ball on the floor," Franklin said.
Long led both teams in scoring with his 20 points. Seck was also in double figures with 11 points. Hudson had nine, while Brown added six points off the bench for SIC.
Sophomore Darrell Bell had 16 points for Simmons College (3-4) who had dropped their Friday night contest to host Vincennes 95-67. The Blazers came from behind to knock off Allegany College of Maryland 75-73 in the Saturday nightcap.
Southeastern welcomes West Kentucky Tech to Deaton Gymnasium Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Simmons College (3-4)
Maxwell 0 1-2 1, Ridgeway 1 0-0 2, Mazion 1 2-2 5, Stampley 3 1-2 7, Warren 5 0-0 11, Cain 1 0-0 2, Wade 0 6-8 6, Jackson 2 0-0 4, Bell 8 0-0 16. T otals 21 10-16 54. Southeastern Illinois (5-0)
Hudson 1 7-8 9, D. Brown 2 2-4 6, Hill 1 0-0 2, N. Mitchell 0 1-2 1, Long 6 3-4 20, Seck 3 5-8 11, J. Mitchell 0 0-1 0, Ntumba 4 1-1 9. Totals 17 19-28 58.
Halftime score- Southeastern Illinois 28-20. Three-point goals Simmons 2 (Mazion, Warren); Southeastern 5 (Long 5). Team fouls Simmons 25, Southeastern 18. Fouled out- none.