Issue date: 12/1/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Derrick Hawkins/Alestle Sophomore guard Mark Yelovich in a game last season against Greenville College. Yelovich scored 26 points and had 13 rebounds Saturday, but the Cougars were unable to hold off a late charge from Lipscomb University.

A career day for sophomore forward Mark Yelovich was not enough to pace SIUE against a surging Lipscomb University team in the second half Saturday.

Yelovich recorded his first collegiate double-double and his highest career point total, with a 26 point, 13 rebound effort against a Bisons team also looking for their first win of the season.

Men's basketball Head Coach Lennox Forrester said the outcome came down to missed opportunities for the Cougars now 0-5.

"We had a few chances to win and a few chances down the stretch," Forrester said. "It just didn't go our way."

Led by the play of Adnan Hozdick and Josh Slater, Lipscomb was able to chip away at the Cougars late in the game, coming back from a double-digit deficit to earn a 67-64 victory and avoid their worst start since 1963-1964.

Hozdick turned in 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Slater scored 16 points in the second half alone after being kept off the scoreboard in the first.

"[Lipscomb] came out in the second half with lots of energy," Yelovich said. "Hozdick was finishing plays, and Slater was making his shots."

SIUE opened the game in their direction, shooting 53 percent in the first half, and executing in areas of the game they struggled at during their first four contests. The Cougars held a 13-11 rebounding advantage and outscored Lipscomb 16-8 in the paint with 7:10 to play in the first half.

In its first four games, SIUE had been out-rebounded 172-112 and teams were pounding them in the paint, outscoring the Cougars down low 114-84.

Freshman guard LeShaun Murphy gave SIUE their biggest lead of the game at 12 points with 6:08 to play hitting a pair of free throws. Murphy quietly scored 10 points and was one of three Cougars in double-figures, behind Yelovich and senior guard Stephen Jones with 12 points.

Lipscomb trimmed the advantage to two with 1:32 left in the half, but jumpers by Murphy and Yelovich brought the deficit back to six at the break.

Continued...

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