Pride overcome 14-point second half deficit for 67-64 win over Culver-Stockton

CANTON, Mo. - Looking to get back to the .500 mark in Heart of America Athletic Conference play, the Clarke University men's basketball team pulled off a second half comeback to win 67-64 over Culver-Stockton College on Saturday evening.

The Pride trailed by seven at the halftime break at a 39-32 Wildcat lead before holding CSC to just 25 points in the second half with a strong defensive final 20 minutes.

With 11:10 remaining in the second half, Clarke erased a 55-41 deficit by outscoring Culver-Stockton 23-2 over the next 10:28 to hold a 64-57 lead with 42 seconds remaining. The second half for the Pride also included all 13 of Jordan Lake's 13 points in the game, as he was the CU player that would head to the free throw line down the stretch to hit enough free throws in the clutch to maintain the lead.

Keith Johnson finished with a team-high 18 points on 6-of-16 (37.5%) shooting from the field and 5-of-10 (50%) shooting from three-point range as he added 10 rebounds for a double-double. Along with Lake's 13, Chandler Dean added 14 points and eight rebounds and Biggie Luster scored 12 points.

The Wildcats also had four players in double figures with Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor (18), Jalen Blaize (14), Javon Modester (13), and Jim King (11) leading the way for Culver-Stockton.

Clarke men's basketball will play an exhibition matchup against University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Tuesday, Dec. 14 before returning to Heart play at the Kehl Center on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. CT.