Published: January 29, 2008 12:18 am         

No. 1 MSU sets school record with win over Northwestern Ohio

Cougars beat Racers to improve to 21-0

LIMA, Ohio — Mountain State set the school-record for its best start with its 21st win with an 88-68 win over Northwestern Ohio Monday.

The NAIA No. 1 Cougars (21-0) broke the previous record of 20 set by the NAIA national championship team in 2004.

“It is a feather in the cap for these guys,” MSU coach Bob Bolen said. “To go on the road and fight through everything we had to fight through and still pull it together for the win, that was a good win.”

For the first time this season, MSU had two starters saddled with foul trouble.

Leading scorer Jason Spencer and big man Jason McGriff both encountered foul trouble in the second half.

No problem.

The Cougars turned to Denzel Lyles and Ermin Tarcin and the duo responded.

Both finished with double figures — 11 for Lyles and 10 for Tarcin.

“Denzel came in and hit three big three-pointers for us,” Bolen said. “That was the first time all season we had two starters in foul trouble at the same time. And we had to have some guys step up. And they did.”

MSU led by nine at the break and the Racers would get no closer than eight in the second half.

Adron Marshall led MSU with 20 points, and he also had nine rebounds. Spencer, the nation’s leading scorer entering the game, added 17.

“It was a tough place to play,” Bolen said of the Racers’ gym. “It was packed, sold out. So it was nice to be able to fight through it and get the win.”

Jason Sarno led Northwestern Ohio with 22 points.

MSU is back on the road Saturday when the Cougars travel to fellow NAIA Independent Region foe Voorhess (S.C.). The game tips at 2 p.m.

MOUNTAIN STATE 88,

NORTHWESTERN OHIO 68

MOUNTAIN STATE (21-0)

James Spencer 6-17 2-2 17, Jarvis Jackson 3-8 1-1 8, Tyrice Watkins 2-5 1-2 5, Adron Marshall 5-15 8-10 20, Jason McGriff 3-6 0-0 6, Ralph Legg 2-4 2-2 6, Denzel Lyles 4-5 0-0 11, Ricky Jackson 2-2 0-0 5, Rod Green 0-0 0-0 0, Ermin Tarcin 3-6 4-6 10. Totals 30-68 18-23 88.

NORTHWESTERN OHIO (7-16)

Isaac Bowers 3-7 2-3 9, Jason Sarno 6-14 6-6 22, Josh Vorst 5-12 3-4 16, Bradnon Miller 1-1 0-1 2, Kyle Gillette 6-12 0-0 12, Addy Marcus 0-1 0-0 0, Aaron Braun 2-4 3-4 7, Donovan Delong 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-52 14-18 68.

Halftime—MSU 42-33. 3-Point Goals—MSU 10-26 (Spencer 3-9, J. Jackson 1-2, Watkins 0-2, Watkins 0-2, Marshall 2-5, McGriff 0-1, Legg 0-1, Lyles 3-4, R. Jackson 1-1, Tarcin 0-1), NWO 8-19 (Bowers 1-2, Sarno 4-8, Vorst 3-7, Braun 0-2). Fouled Out—Marcus. Rebounds—MSU 46 (Watkins, Marshall, McGriff 9), MWO23 (Miller, Gillette 6). Assists—MSU 13 (J. Jackson 5), NWO 15 (Miller 5). Total Fouls—MSU 19, NWO 19. A—364.