JACKSON, Miss. (Dec. 17) -- Millsaps College defended its home court to the final buzzer and managed to hold on to its advantage the entire way as the Majors outlasted Hendrix College, 55-51, for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) win on Friday afternoon at the Hangar Dome.
Millsaps (5-3, 1-2 SCAC) earned the victory by nearly doubling Hendrix's (2-6, 0-3 SCAC) chances from the charity stripe. The Majors were 18-of-23 from the line, while the Warriors went just 8-of-13 from line. Hendrix outshot Millsaps from the field, 44.4 percent to 29.6 percent, respectively, and the Warriors owned a 30-14 advantage in the paint. The Majors scored 14 points off the Warriors' 13 turnovers.
Millsaps led by as much as six points in the first half and eventually took a 24-20 lead into the break. Sophomore Nick Cortese opened the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers on the Majors first two possessions and jumper from senior LV Sumler with 17:41 left in regulation gave Millsaps its first 10-point lead of the game, 32-22.
Sophomore Taylor Meades knocked down a 3-pointer to give Millsaps its largest lead of the game, 40-29, with 13:20 left on the clock. Hendrix trailed by 10 points, 44-34, with 9:50 to go before exploding for a 15-5 run over the next five minutes, knotting the game at 49-49 with 4:10 remaining.
Millsaps held off Hendrix's late surge by going 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the last three minutes. Junior Nick Heathscott scored the Warriors' final basket with 3:15 left on the clock. Hendrix missed three shots from behind the arc in the final three minutes and turned the ball over twice in the last 1:38.
Cortese and junior Ben Cooper led the Majors with 15 points apiece, while Sumler finished with eight points and a game-best 13 rebounds and three steals.
Junior Ammon Martin led Hendrix with eight points and a career-high 10 rebounds. First year Colton Primm also tallied eight points, while senior James Ewing and junior Scott Sherrill scored seven points apiece.
The Warriors fall to 16-27 all-time against the Majors. Hendrix returns to Grove Gymnasium on Dec. 30 to host LeTourneau University in 7 p.m. CT affair.
For more information on Hendrix Athletics please visit www.hendrixwarriors.com or contact Brian Rejer, Sports Information Director, at (501) 450-1426. Also, be sure to follow the Warriors on Twitter by checking out @Warrior_SID.
- HendrixWarriors -