March 14, 2012
Contact: Greg Murphy
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Cleveland State had its season come to an end with a 76-65 setback at Stanford in the opening round of the 2012 National Invitational Tournament in Maples Pavilion.
CSU, which was making its seventh all-time postseason appearance and third in the last four years, finished the season with a 22-11 mark.
The Cardinal improved to 23-10 and advance to the second round where they will face the winner of Wednesday's first round game between Ole Miss and Illinois State.
Jeremy Montgomery led CSU with 15 points, while Tim Kamczyc scored 13 points with seven rebounds. Anton Grady chipped in six points and 11 boards, while Marlin Mason and Charlie Lee scored eight points each.
Josh Owens and Anthony Brown scored 15 points apiece for Stanford.
The Vikings, who had to fly across the country for Tuesday's first round NIT game, showed some early signs of jet lag, falling behind 17-7 six minutes in. However, an 11-1 run over the next four minutes allowed the Vikings to tie the contest at 18-18.
Mason scored five points in the run, while Kamczyc scored four.
CSU took its first lead of the night, 25-24, on a three-pointer by Ike Nwamu and took its largest lead of the half when an Aaron Pogue layup put the Vikings up, 30-28, with 32 seconds left.
But Chasson Randle hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left in the half to give Stanford a 31-30 lead at the half.
A Kamczyc three-pointer opened the scoring in the second half, but that would be the last lead of the night for the Vikings as Stanford responded with nine straight points to take a 40-33 lead three minutes into the half. The Vikings did answer back and pulled within three points (42-39), but a 12-3 Cardinal run extended its lead to 16 points (58-42) midway through the second half.
The Vikings held a 44-32 advantage on the glass, including 16 offensive boards, but were done in by a season-high 21 turnovers that Stanford converted into 29 points.
The game was the final in the career of CSU's four seniors - D'Aundray Brown, Trey Harmon, Montgomery and Aaron Pogue. Together, the quartet helped CSU to three postseason appearances (1 NCAA and 2 NIT), while Montgomery leaves the program with 91 career victories, tied for the most in school history.
