Published: February 14, 2009 11:52 pm      

Harris, Lee lead Cougars’ 79-62 win

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mountain State erupted in the second half to defeat Allen University Saturday, scoring a 79-62 victory.

Leading by just three at the half, 28-25 (MSU’s lowest first-half output of the season), Mountain State started getting in a groove, and just in time.

The Cougars outscored the Yellow Jackets 51-37 in the final 20 minutes to improve to 21-3 on the season.

“We made shots in the second half,” coach Bob Bolen said of the difference in the two halves. “We played hard in the first half, we just didn’t make anything. In the second half, we were able to convert, we had a couple of and-1s (field goal and free throw) and we got the lead (into double digits). I thought we probably played about equal in both halves, but the difference was, they were going in the basket.”

Andrew Lee and Bo Harris led the Cougars with 14 points apiece. Harris didn’t start the game, suffering from flu-like symptoms.

Marcus Hunter added 12 and Nick Aldridge came off the bench for 10. A.J. Pigram, who also didn’t start, and Tony Brown had nine each.

In stark contrast to its miserable showing at Lindsey Wilson Tuesday, MSU made 15-of-22 shots from the free throw line, including 15-of-19 in the second half.

The Cougars were just 3-of-15 from the stripe in the second half in their 83-69 loss to Lindsey Wilson Tuesday night.

Allen’s Demetrius Terrell led all scorers with 18 points and Jeremy Crawford had 14.

MSU now has three games lined up in the coming week, with Salem International kicking it off Tuesday night at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center. Tip-off is 7 p.m.

Salem has a losing record, but the Tigers nearly knocked off NCAA Division II No. 7 Alderson-Broaddus last week, falling by seven.

“It’s good to get a road win and now that sets us up for three big games next week,” Bolen said. “We need to get everybody healthy for the stretch run.”

MSU is at Southern Wesleyan Thursday evening and will battle Lee at 4 p.m. next Saturday in a matchup of Top 25 teams in Beckley.