Freeman, Day Set Career-Highs in Men's Basketball's Late Loss to UC

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Men's Basketball team dropped a narrow 81-75 home contest to Charleston (WV) on Wednesday night.
 
Freshman Logan Lewis began the game by taking the opening tip straight to the hoop, being fouled on his shot and converting both chances at the line for the first points of the game. FSU was hot from the field in the early minutes, as junior JayShaun Freeman and freshmen Zane McCarty and Malcolm Day combined to hit five shots, the latter hitting a trey that put the Bobcats ahead by five, but UC answered from deep for a 13-11 advantage at the first media timeout.
 
Freeman hit a smooth jumper on the next make from the floor, then he and Lewis combined to go four-of-four at the charity stripe, stretching Frostburg's lead up to 19-13. Lewis drove into the lane for an easy lay-in, then two straight Day jumpers put Frostburg up by seven inside the final 10 minutes of the half. The Golden Eagles quickly got back within two, hitting a three then making a layup for a 26-24 score. McCarty hit a floater in the lane, then Lewis swiped the ball and drove down the floor for a basket, followed by the teams trading triples, with Freeman hitting from range for a 33-27 game.
 
Freeman continued to carry the Bobcat offense, getting a putback and shot from downtown to fall, but Charleston had makes on five straight offensive trips, including a couple threes that brought them to within 38-37 with just over three minutes left. A steal by McCarty allowed Freeman to get another make in the paint, but momentum swung completely in UC's direction with two treys from Tyler Eberhart inside the final minute, giving the visitors a 43-40 lead at the half.
 
The Golden Eagles opened the second half with a make nine seconds in, but McCarty and Day hit back-to-back shots, the latter from deep for a 45-45 tie. From that point, FSU went three minutes without a bucket, as UC got a couple baskets in the lane and a trey to fall before Day finally broke the drought with his own ranged effort fell, with Charleston holding a 54-48 advantage. Junior Sebastian Gahse drained a pair from the free throw line, then Freeman and Lewis each scored in quick succession to pull within two, but another Golden Eagle three kept them ahead 59-54 inside the 12-minute mark.
 
Lewis, Freeman, and Gahse continued to get looks for the Bobcats, scoring the next 10 Frostburg points to tie the contest 64-64 at the under-10 media break. Each team traded blows, neither leading by more than two points for the next seven and a half minutes. Freeman and Gahse got shots to fall, then Lewis exchanged a pair at the line with UC for a 70-70 draw inside five minutes on the clock. Charleston scored next from the field, with McCarty responding on a tough jumper, then after another couple freebies for the Golden Eagles, Freeman gave the home crowd some life with a pull-up trey for a 75-74 lead with two to go. After neither team could score on their next possession, Eddie Colbert III found space in the lane for a lay-in, then an FSU turnover gave Eberthart an and-one opportunity, putting UC ahead 79-75 with 44 seconds remaining. The Bobcats couldn't get their shots to go in their final attempts, as another pair of late free throws went through for the Golden Eagles' final 81-75 victory.
 
Freeman led all scorers with a season-high 29 points, with Lewis and Day both chipping in 16 apiece. Gahse and Lewis each grabbed a game-high seven boards, with the latter also blocking a pair of shots.
 
With the loss, Frostburg falls to 1-7 on the year, while Charleston improves to 4-1. FSU returns to action on Saturday, December 2 to face West Virginia State on the road at 4 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.