Jan 07, 2011
Sewanee, Tenn.- The Sewanee Tigers found themselves down just four points heading into halftime of tonight's SCAC clash in Sewanee, but the Colonels of Centre College managed to pull away late in the second half to take home a 65-51 win. The Colonels, who were clinging to a 30-26 lead at the half, shot nearly 65% in the second half to put the host Tigers away in the second, dropping Sewanee to 5-6 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Centre scored five quick points to take a 5-0 lead less than two minutes into the contest, but Sewanee's Anvil Nelson knocked down back-to-back jumpers in the paint to put the Tigers on the board and cut the Colonel lead to 5-4. Centre extended their lead to six on a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer by Matt Griggs but the Tigers responded with a lay up from Valentino Bryant to make it 10-6. Collin Lopez knocked down a trey to make it 13-6 Centre, but the Tigers scored four straight to cut the Colonel lead to three.
The teams traded baskets before Centre nailed two straight baskets to go ahead by eight, 20-12, and take their largest lead of the first half. After trading baskets and cutting the score to 22-15, Sewanee went on a 9-3 run, behind a 3-pointer from Brett Bouldin, a jumper from Nelson, and two baskets by Bryant, to cut the Colonel lead to one as the half neared its' end. Kyle Binder knocked down a trey with 1:06 left to extend the Colonel lead back to four but Tyler Brown responded for the Tigers and made it 28-26 Centre with just 39 seconds left in the half. Taylor Newsome nailed a short jumper with 10 seconds left to give Centre the 30-26 lead they would take into the locker room.
The Colonels found their touch in the second half, going 11 of 17 from the field, on their way to building an 11-point lead just six minutes into the period. Brown hit a pair of free throws for the Tigers to cut the lead to nine, 41-32, but Centre's Jeff Mullaney hit a three to push the lead back to 12. After trading baskets for nearly eight minutes, Sewanee got back-to-back baskets from Nelson to cut the difference to eight, 56-48. But it wouldn't be enough as the Colonels used a 9-3 run to close out the Tigers in the last two minutes of the half. Centre went 7 of 9 from the free throw line in the last 1:46 to put Sewanee away and walk away with the 65-51 win.
The Tigers were led by sophomore Tyler Brown, who grabbed his first collegiate double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Bryant and Nelson led all scorers with 13 points each, while Nelson also picked up four assists in the effort. Lopez led Centre with 12 points on 3 of 4 shooting from the 3-point line.
As a team, the Tigers shot 42% from the field, including just 20% from the 3-point line. Sewanee was 21 of 50 on the night and had a 3 of 15 showing from beyond the arc. Centre finished the night with 22 of 40 shooting, good enough for a 55% clip from the field, and a 9 of 16 mark from the 3-point line. Sewanee just barely edged out the Colonels in rebounding, grabbing 27 boards to Centre's 24.
Centre moves to 9-2 on the year and 4-0 in SCAC play. The Tigers will host DePauw University on Sunday at 2 p.m in Juhan Gymnasium.