Morehead State takes CBI Championship Game 1

MOREHEAD, Ky. – Lyonell Gaines posted career highs of 27 points and 14 rebounds to lead Morehead State to an 86-83 win over Nevada in Game 1 of the College Basketball Invitational Championship Series.

The Series shifts to Reno for Game 2 on Wednesday and, if necessary, Game 3 on Friday. Both games will tip at 9:00pm (ET) and air on ESPNU. Mitch Holthus and Sean Harrington will again call the action.

In a game that featured 13 lead changes and 16 ties, Morehead State would not be denied. Playing in front of a boisterous home crowd of 4,187 (the second-largest crowd of the year), the Eagles fell behind 62-61 on a Marqueze Coleman three-pointer with 10:15 to play in the game. The lead swayed back and forth for over four and a half minutes until Gaines’ jumper with 5:28 left put Morehead State up for good at 73-72.

Joining Gaines in double figures for Morehead State (23-12) were DeJuan Marrero with 15 points and Brent Arrington with 13 points.

Nevada (22-14) was paced by Tyron Criswell who recorded a game-best 31 points to go along with seven rebounds. Eric Cooper had 15 points, Cameron Oliver, who was plagued with foul trouble the entire game, managed 12 points and eight rebounds, and Coleman tallied 10 points.

Morehead State will look to become just the third team to win the CBI in two games. VCU (2010) and Loyola Chicago (2015) are the only ones not to need the entire three games to win the CBI crown.