Tuesday's basketball: Keene sets CMU single-season scoring mark in loss
Mount Pleasant — Marcus Keene hasn’t been on Central Michigan’s campus very long. But he’s wasted no time making some kind of impact.
With 27 points Tuesday night, Keene set the program’s 30-year-old, single-season scoring record, breaking the mark set by legend Dan Majerle.
Keene entered the game 12 points from history.
It was a bittersweet night for the junior point guard, whose Chippewas fell late to Buffalo, 99-93, at McGuirk Arena.
Central Michigan tied it at 93 on a 4-point play by Braylon Rayson with 1:19 left, but the Chippewas (16-10, 6-7 Mid-American Conference) were shut out the rest of the game.
C.J. Massinburg made a jumper and four free throws down the stretch for Buffalo (14-12, 8-5), which led, 42-36, at the half. Central Michigan missed its final three shots, including a pair by Keene, the leading scorer this season in Division I who finished the game 6-for-19.
Rayson finished with a team-high 28 points for Central, and Josh Kozinski added 15.
Six players scored in double figures for Buffalo, led by Willie Conner with 22 (7-for-13) and Massinburg with 20.
Keene, a transfer from Youngstown State, has 775 points for the season, and contiues to climb up the ladder in terms of the MAC’s single-season scoring record.
Oddly, Central Michigan athletic officials refused to make Keene available to the media following the historic game.
Buffalo is coached by Nate Oats, the longtime coach at Romulus High School. On his coaching staff is former Pistons player Lindsey Hunter.
More state men
Ohio 79, (at) Eastern Michigan 71: Willie Mangum IV scored 19 and Ty Toney 16, but the Eagles (13-13, 5-8 MAC) fell at the Convocation Center. James Thompson IV added 14 points and 11 rebounds.
For Ohio (16-8-, 8-5), Jordan Dartis led the way with 26 points, and Jason Carter had 11 points and 14 rebounds.
(At) Western Michigan 89, Bowling Green 79: Thomas Wilder had 38 points on 11-for-17 shooting, including 15-for-15 from the free-throw line, as the Broncos (10-15, 6-7 MAC) earned the win at University Arena.
Tucker Haymond added 16 points and 10 rebounds.
For Bowling Green (11-15, 5-8), four players scored in double figures, led by Rodrick Caldwell with 15 points.
Big Ten men
(At) No. 16 Purdue 74, Rutgers 55: Center Isaac Haas had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and power forward Caleb Swanigan added 12 points and 17 rebounds as Purdue (21-5, 10-3) rolled past Rutgers (13-4, 2-12).
Nigel Johnson scored 23 to lead Rutgers.
Top 25 men
(At) No. 13 Kenutcky 83, Tennessee 58: Malik Monk had 20 points and a career-high eight rebounds, and Derek Willis had 16 points for Kentucky (21-5, 11-2, Southeastern Conference). Admiral Schofield had 17 points and Jordan Bone 15 for Tennessee (14-12, 6-7).
No. 15 Florida 114, (at) Auburn 95: Canyon Barry scored a season-high 30 the Gators (21-5, 11-2 Southeastern Conference) blew past their previous scoring high of 106 points. Auburn dropped to 16-10, 5-8.
No. 25 Notre Dame 84, (at) Boston College 76: Bonzie Colson scored 20 and Matt Farrell had 19 as Notre Dame (20-7, 9-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) overcame a 13-point first-half deficit to hand Boston College (9-18, 2-12) its 10th straight loss.