But the Tigers’ junior guard from Newton, Texas, is making this look ridiculous.
Isom, the leading scorer in the ASC entering Saturday’s home finale against Louisiana College, bumped that average up some more with a career-high 41 points to lead ETBU to a 104-99 victory over the Wildcats before 893 in Ornelas Gymnasium. The victory more than likely seals one of the ASC East’s three remaining playoff spots, as the Tigers now have a two-game lead over Louisiana College and University of the Ozarks with just two games remaining.
ETBU (11-11, 11-9 ASC) also got 26 points from Cedric’s twin brother, Chris, as both Isom brothers combined to shoot a whopping 28-of-39 from the field in holding off the Wildcats (10-12, 9-11), who find themselves locked in a battle for their playoff lives.
“I really don’t get amazed at what Ced does anymore, because I know that at any time he can put up these kinds of numbers,” said ETBU head coach Bert West. “The amazing thing about all this is that he has the ability to be that big of a factor while still allowing his teammates to get involved and contribute. He doesn’t just go out and try to take over the game – it kind of allows him to sometimes. When that happens, and when our players get some of that same kind of feeling, we’re able to have a lot of success offensively.”
“I don’t know if he’s anyone else’s MVP, for sure. But he’s certainly ours.”
Isom scored 23 points in the first half, helping ETBU to a 51 percent shooting performance on the way to a 43-35 lead. He then added 16 points and, with over six minutes remaining, was within only 8 of breaking the all-time single-game scoring record in ETBU history.
But LC staged a desperate rally and pulled to as close as three points in the final seconds before the Tigers finished them off with free throws at the end. Isom broke his own personal scoring record of 39 – set last season in a double-overtime loss at UT-Dallas – by draining two free throws with under 10 seconds to play.
The Tigers’ shooting performance as a team was at 71 percent in the second half, as ETBU connected on 22-of-31 shots from the field to finish at 60 percent for the game.
Cedric Isom also added 8 rebounds and 8 assists, as well as 2 steals, while playing all but two minutes in the contest. Chris Isom added 6 points and 3 assists in 36 minutes, with Rodney Calhoun catching fire in the second half to score 11 points off the bench.
Senior Horace Davis, playing the final home game of his career, may have saved his best for last. Davis drew the start on senior day and finished with 7 points, including a pair of 3-pointers that helped get ETBU rolling in the second half.
The Tigers needed every bit of the Isoms’ scoring, as LC’s Casey Meador pumped in 28 points while connecting on eight 3-pointers. Cody Wyatt added 15 and Chris Campbell and Casey Wallace each had 13 for the ‘Cats.
ETBU closes out the regular season next week on the road, with a game Thursday at Austin College and the season finale on Saturday at Ozarks. The 8-team conference tournament will be held Feb. 25-27 in Clinton, Miss.