Fuzak's Career Night Not Enough As Men's Basketball Loses Late Lead, Close Game At SXU

CHICAGO – Bennett Fuzak led all scorers with a career-high 30 points, but the Roosevelt men's basketball team lost a late lead and a 79-76 road decision to Saint Xavier at the Shannon Center on Wednesday night.

Fuzak was unstoppable for most of the contest, going 10-for-19 from the field and connecting on three three-point buckets to go with seven rebounds and three assists, to eclipse his previous career best of 22 points for the Lakers (4-15, 4-7 CCAC).

Josh Redic added 14 points for Roosevelt, which had its conference road winning streak snapped at three games despite holding a 10-point lead with seven minutes remaining in regulation and a late three-point lead.

Joshua Evans led the Cougars (14-5, 9-3 CCAC) with 25 points, while Josh Niego turned in 21 points.

Evans made two free throws to put the Cougars ahead with 1:14 on the clock before hitting a key jumper that made it a three-point game with 37 ticks left and capped a 19-6 run.

Roosevelt had chances to tie late but missed two three-point attempts and turned the ball over with four seconds left.

"Despite the outcome I'm really proud of our guys," Roosevelt head coach Joe Griffin said. "Our effort and energy was very good, but their talent and physicality got us at the end. Bennett was terrific and Josh helped us hit some shots, but we fouled too much and turned it over too much.

"This game could've gone either way and we were right there in one of the toughest places to play in the league."

Roosevelt begins a four-game homestand this Monday against Cardinal Stritch at a special start time of 3 p.m. inside the Goodman Center.