https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Region-24-pecking-order-clearer-with-LC-loss-to-12634899.php
Region 24 pecking order clearer with LC loss to Logan
Published 12:00 am CST, Thursday, February 19, 2015
GODFREY — The pecking order among teams in Region 24 and District 16 became more clear Wednesday.
Lewis and Clark Community College put up a brave fight before falling to John A. Logan Community College of Carterville 94-80 in a Region 24 showdown at the George Terry River Bend Arena. Logan, the top team in Region 24, led just 37-32 at halftime, but pulled away in the second half.
The region's top teams include Logan, Vincennes University,Kaskaskia of Centralia, Southwestern Illinois College of Belleville and Wabash Valley. Vincennes, which is in Region 12, is one of only two junior colleges in Indiana and will take part in the Region 24 tourney. VU is 27-0 overall and 17-0 against Region 24 opponents and the No. 1-ranked team in the nation among NJCAA schools.
"We're right in the middle," LCCC coach Dog Stotler said. His Trailblazers are 11-15 overall and 7-11 against region 24 teams.
The top five teams in the region standings will receive first-round byes in the 11-team Region 24 tournament. Vincennes, Logan, SWIC and Kaskaskia, each with 10 or more region victories, appear to have locks on the top four spots. The No. 5 team will come from a group that includes LCCC, Lincoln Trail, Wabash Valley, Lake Land, Southeastern Illinois and Shawnee.
LCCC's Trailblazers have three regular-season games remaining. At 2 p.m. Saturday, they play the Millikin University junior varsity in Decatur. Top-ranked Vincennes University will visit the River Bend Arena at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. The regular season will end Feb. 28 with a 2 p.m. region matchup against Lake Land in Mattoon.
A play-in game March 5 will get the Region 24 Tourney under way. The winner of that game will advance to the tournament set for March 7-9 at Rend Lake College in Ina.
Wednesday, Kaskaskia defeated Shawnee 92-71, Lake Land of Mattoon beat Wabash Valley of Mount Carmel 94-82 and Lincoln Trail of Robinson beat Olney Central College 87-74. SWIC at Southeastern Illinois was postponed until Feb. 23 because of winter weather conditions.
Against Logan on Wednesday night, LCCC's Trailblazers got 43 points from the one-two punch of Burak Eslik and JJ Cratit, but it wasn't enough. Eslik had 22 of those points one 7-of-12 shooting from the field and he was 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Cratit was 5 of 11 from the field, made one try and was 8 of 12 from the free throw line.
Logan was led by Martavian Payne's 20 points. Ranell Crossland scored 14 points and Russell Woods added 13 for the Volunteers, who are 22-5 overall and 13-4 against Region 24 teams.
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