BOX SCORE
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- David Kool scored a game-high 27 points and freshman Flenard Whitfield added his first-career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, but Southern Illinois-Edwardsville defeated Western Michigan, 83-72, in the final game of the Charleston Classic for both teams at the Carolina First Arena.
Junior Martelle McLemore added a career-high 11 points off the bench for the Broncos (0-3), but the Cougars (1-2) shot 57.4 percent (31-54) from the field to hold off WMU.
SIUE scored the first four points of the game, but WMU scored the next five on a layup from Whitfield off a nifty pass from Kool and then Kool converted an old-fashioned three-point play after a steal and layup. Another layup, this time by Donald Lawson, gave the lead back to WMU, 7-6, but then the Cougars responded with a 14-0 run over 4:30 to go up 20-7 with 10:07 left in the half.
McLemore hit his first three-pointer to end the drought, but SIUE remained in control and went up 14, 28-14, on a jumper by Barry Wellington with 6:28 to play. The Broncos then went on a 21-8 run over 5:28 to cut the lead to one, 36-35, with 39 seconds to play. McLemore scored five points and freshman Mike Douglas hit his first-career three-pointer during the run that also saw Kool put 10 points on the board. SIUE answered with a layup by Aamir McCleary right before halftime to lead by three, 38-35, at intermission.
The Cougars came out quick in the second half with back-to-back three-pointers to go back up nine, 44-35, less than 90 seconds into the half. Kool and Michael Redell hit back-to-back three-pointers to pull WMU back within three, 46-43, with 16:49 to play, but a three-pointer by John Edmison put SIUE back up 10, 54-44, with 14:52 to play.
The Broncos started a 7-0 run after Lawson tipped in a missed layup by Kool and hit the ensuing free throw after a foul. Lawson added another tip-in after Derek Drews missed a jumper and Kool hit a short jumper to put WMU back within three, 54-51. SIUE answered and went back up seven before Kool banked in a three-pointer from behind the NBA three-point line with 10:11 to play to pull WMU back to within four, 60-56.
The Cougars remained unfazed and pushed their lead back to 12 points, 71-59, with 5:33 to play and WMU got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
WMU found its touch from distance to hit 10-of-23 three-pointers (.435) and finished even on the boards with 34 each. The Broncos did secure 12 offensive rebounds to lead 14-8 in second-chance points. The Broncos also had two fewer turnovers (15-13) and led 17-16 in points off turnovers. SIUE countered by constantly getting into the lane to lead 40-22 in points in the paint.
Lawson tied his career-high with 10 rebounds and added nine points to just miss a double-double. Kool added six assists, five rebounds and four steals as he finished the tournament as the second-leading scorer with 24.3 points per game.
The Cougars had five players in double-figures led by McCleary with 21 points, five rebounds and four assists. Nikola Bundalo added 16 points for SIUE.
The Broncos are back at University Arena for their next two games against Detroit (0-1) on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday against Loyola (Ill.) (0-1) at 2 p.m.
