Box Score

The chances for the Ranger men's basketball team of making the conference tournament suffered a major setback Saturday afternoon. Visiting SIU Edwardsville came into the DeSimone Gymnasium and took a convincing 99-84 victory.

The Cougars led by as many as 24 points in the early stages of the second half. This, after grabbing an 18-5 lead, just 7 minutes into the contest. The early energy parlayed itself into a 48-31 halftime lead.

The Rangers attempted a comeback in the second half, taking 19 points off of their biggest deficit in cutting the margin to five. The team tallied 45 points in the first 14 minutes of the second half, before the rally stalled.

T.J. Gray lead a quintet of Cougars in double figures with 20 points. His team shot 57 percent from the floor.

LaVontay Fenderson was a bright spot for the Rangers. He scored a game-high 33 points. 

UW-Parkside shot 52 percent from the floor, but were badly out-muscled underneath, getting out-rebounded, 36-25.

The loss dropped the Ranger record to 13-8 overall. The team is 6-7 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. SIU Edwardsville is in third place in the GLVC West, with a 5-8 record. The Cougars are 12-9 overall.

The Rangers will travel to Lewis Tuesday, Feb. 12, for its next game. A 7:30 p.m. tipoff in Romeoville, Illinois, is scheduled.