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83-point win little consolation for USF; Spalding wins
    FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Tim Gray scored 23 points to lead Spalding (Ky.) University a 63-58 win over Houghton (N.Y.) in the championship game of the Cougars Holiday Tournament at the University of Saint Francis on Tuesday (Dec. 31) afternoon.
   Gray, a 6-foot-6 senior forward from Louisville, was named tournament MVP. Spalding (9-6) rallied from a 33-32 halftime deficit to win.
   In the consolation game, the University of Saint Francis snapped a 4-game losing streak with a school-record 153-70 win over Cincinnati Clermont (5-12). The Cougars' 83-point winning margin was also a school record.
   USF sophomore forward Cleevas Craig (Fort Wayne / Elmhurst) came off the bench to lead the Cougars' offensive with a career-best 26 points. He also delivered his first double-double with a team-leading 12 rebounds.
    Craig was one of seven Cougars in double figures. John Gensic (Albion / Bishop Dwenger) added 23 points, Chase Holden (Hamilton / Hamilton)  22 points and Dusty Beucler (Churubusco / Churubusco) delivered a career-best 20 points. Keith Roddy (Fort Wayne / Concordia) scored 16 while Nick Ankenbruck (Fort Wayne / Homestead) and Eric Pickrell (Fishers / Hamilton Southeastern) each finished with 13 points apiece.
   Troy Girty led UC Clermont with 36 points.
   USF Coach Jeff Rekeweg was reserving judgement on the lopsided win pending the play of his team on Saturday (Jan. 4) at IU-South Bend and on Tuesday (Jan. 7) at 7 p.m. at Hutzell Athletic Center in the Mid-Central Conference opener against Huntington.
   "Those two games will indicate how effective our late night / early morning tape and practice session had," Rekeweg said. "We have got to learn to play defense and that good defense leads to offensive opportunities."
    The Cougars dropped a 75-68 decision to Houghton in the first round of the Cougar Holiday Tournament on Monday night.
   A Steve Packer basket early in the second half of the championship game gave Spalding the lead for good with 18:15 to play. An Isaac Downs' 3-pointer stretched Spalding's lead to 51-39 with 8:34 to play. Houghton whittled the margin to five, 56-51, on a Seth Raper basket with 3:54 to play, but the Highlanders couldn't get any closer. Neither team scored in the final 1:29 after Lee pulled HC within five.


All-Tournament Team
#34   Jeremy Gorham -- Houghton
#41   Joel Hamilton -- Houghton
#32   Lamar Jackson -- Spalding
#42   Steve Packer -- Spalding
#31   Jason Lee -- Houghton
MVP -- #50   Tim Gray -- Spalding
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