WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. –The Clarion University men’s basketball team got the 2017-18 season underway Friday evening, dropping a road contest to host Winston-Salem State, 111-95.

The story of the game was centered around foul trouble for both teams, some of which to be expected in the first game of the season. There were a combined 60 fouls in the game between the two teams. The record for fouls in an NCAA game occurred last year between Seton Hall and Niagara with 73.

Clarion’s only lead of the night came near the midway point of the first half when they held a 16-15 advantage. In the first half, the Golden Eagles shot 35 percent from the floor including an impressive 19-23 from the free throw line. Senior Kyheim Hall had 22 of his 36 points in the first half, going 14 for 17 from the free throw line in the first twenty minutes. The Golden Eagles trailed by only four points at the half, 44-40, despite a hot shooting Winston-Salem team that shot close to 60 percent from the floor in the first half.

Foul trouble continued to plague both teams in the second half, but Winston-Salem was able to stretch their lead to double digits midway through the second half. The Golden Eagle defense continued to force turnovers, helping to cut the lead to 6 points with just over 5 minutes left, but they would not get any closer as the Rams pulled away with the season-opening victory.

Clarion had a pair of scorers in double digits, led by Hall’s 36, followed by 25 from senior Cameron Grumley. Hall finished the night 22 of 25 from the free throw line.

The Golden Eagles will look to even their record tomorrow evening when they take the same court against Fayetteville State University at 5 p.m.