Tipton IN. Culver traveled to Tipton high school for their first of two games on the weekend for a matchup with the Blue Devils. Culver was looking to change their fortunes after dropping 2 of their last 3, winning Tuesday against Victory Christian.
           
The first-half was a back-and-forth battle between the two sides. Tipton opened with a three, but Daley Stein responded after a steal from Jokubas Skurdenis. Amir Gates got his own score after a steal and Thomas Collins got a two-point pull-up to fall to give Culver a one-point lead. Cooper Farrall got to the line after Tipton's next bucket and hit both shots to put the Eagles back up one. Collins hit his first three of the night in response to an inside basket from Tipton to get the lead back to two. Stein and Farrall both showed their skill in the paint with back-to-back scores to give Culver a two possession lead late in the quarter. Tipton and Culver each got one more score before the end of the quarter, Culver's via Farrall inside, to end the quarter 17-15 in favor of the Eagles.
           
Skurdenis opened the second with a floater in the lane, however Tipton soon tied it with two from the line and a bucket inside. Skurdenis and Gates each got another score from an inside drive to give a four-point lead, and Collins hit two threes after Tipton's next score to give Culver their largest lead of the game at eight. Tipton wouldn't rest though, and they went on a 6-1 run to end the quarter, with Culver's only point coming from a free-throw from Farrall. Culver led at half by two, 30-28
           
Tipton came out strong in front of their home fans in the second-half, and Culver just couldn't keep up. Skurdenis hit a pair of free throws after a Tipton bucket to open the half, but the Blue Devils defense limited Culver to just four more points in the quarter. These came from a post score from Fola Fayemi and Farrall each. Tipton's offense couldn't be stopped as they jumped out with 16 points to give them an eight-point lead to end the third-quarter with a score of 36-44.
           
The momentum for Tipton carried over and Culver couldn't slow down the Blue Devil offense. Stein and Colin Chupp got back-to-back paint scores at the start of the quarter, but Tipton responded quickly with their own pair of two's and a three. Fayemi and Farrall continued to show off their post offense with a score each, but Tipton kept up their pressure and quickly answered each score with one of their own. Soon after Culver started to foul to try and mount a late comeback, but Tipton was perfect from the line. Collins hit a three toward the end of the game but there wasn't enough time left to build off it and the game ended 47-66.
           
Culver returns to action tomorrow with a game against Merrillville at Fleet gym as all three CMA basketball teams face off with the Pirates.