Chicago State ended its five-year, 48-game non-conference losing streak Saturday night, beating visiting Eastern Michigan 65-62.
Pierre Shuttlesworth and Tim Bryant each scored 16 points as the Cougars got their first non-league win since joining the Mid-Continent Conference in 1994.
The Cougars (1-2) led 31-26 at the half, before Eastern Michigan took a 53-47 lead with nine minutes left. Shuttlesworth then scored seven points to spark a 9-3 run for a tie.
Shuttlesworth later hit a jumper with 1:31 left as Chicago State took the lead for good at 63-62.
Corey Tarrant led Eastern Michigan (2-1) with 16 points.
Central Mich. 78, Ill.-Chicago 75: David Webber scored 26 points and the Chippewas (2-1) rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit to overtake and beat the host Flames (1-2).
Webber was 4 of 6 on three-point attempts and hit 8 of his 10 free throws for Central Michigan, which trailed 31-23 after the first 20 minutes.
Illinois-Chicago struggled throughout with its shooting, finishing the game at 37 percent. Jordan Kardos paced the Flames with 24 points and Ian Hanavan added a career-high 17.
Marquette 74, Wofford 59: Brian Wardle scored 21 points and Oluoma Nnamaka added 19 to lead the Golden Eagles (2-1) over the visiting Terriers (1-3).
Wardle shot 9 of 11 from the field and scored 17 second-half points.
“We’ve got 12 guys on the team and I think everyone contributed,” Wardle said. “If not in the game, then in practice. It was a total team effort. If we can do this every night, it’ll be a good year.”
In the teams’ first meeting, it was the Marquette defense that was the difference. The Golden Eagles held Wofford without a field goal over an 11-minute stretch.
“I’ve got to give our team all the credit I could possibly give them on the way they came out and defended,” Marquette coach Tom Crean said.
Wofford was led by reserve Mike Lenzly’s 13 points.
Akron 89, Ill. St. 79: Jami Bosley scored 25 points and Jimmal Ball had nine points, three assists and 10 rebounds as the host Zips (2-1) defeated the Redbirds (1-2).
Three 3-pointers by Tarise Bryson enabled Illinois State to pull within 78-71 with 5:01 remaining, but the Redbirds never got closer than seven as the Zips hit 11-of-18 free throws down the stretch.
Bryson finished with 24 points, six assists, and seven rebounds. L. Dee Murdock added 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Redbirds.
Murray St. 78, Valparaiso 58: Issac Spencer scored 30 points, including 18 in the first half, as the Racers (3-0) beat the Crusaders (2-1) in the semifinals of the USBWA Hoop and Quill Classic at St. Charles, Mo.
Valparaiso was paced by Ivan Vujic with 14 points.
WIU 108, Cardinal Stritch 74: Cory Fosdyck scored 22 points, hitting 8 of 9 shots, and Juan Martinez chipped in 20 for host Western Illinois (3-1), which has won three straight since opening the season with a loss at Illinois.
Lewis 72, Hillsdale 65: Tarrie Monroe scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the visiting Flyers (3-0) over the Chargers (1-3).
