SHERMAN, Texas - When you make 12-of-14 from the charity stripe in the last 3:26 of a game, you are going to collect a lot of wins. Also, it does not hurt when sophomore Travion Kirkendoll goes 6-for-6 from the floor for a first half, career high 18 points either.
Oh, and junior James Sapp added just 18 points and 18 rebounds for his Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference leading eighth double-double.
The Gents saw its double-digit halftime lead cut to one late, but a 12-2 run propelled Centenary (9-6, 2-3 SCAC) to a 79-71 win at Austin College (10-4, 0-4 SCAC) in Sherman, Texas Friday night, January 15.
With Centenary holding a slim 62-59 lead, Austin College made a layup while fouled. However, the attempt clanged off the rim. Sapp grabbed the defensive board and then was fouled on the other end. He made both from the line to push the lead back to three with 3:26 left in the game.
The Gents took advantage of a poor free-throw shooting night for the home team, as the Maroon and White made 28-of-34 (82.4 percent) while Austin College only hit 19-of-31 (61.3 percent). Sapp increased his boards per game average by 0.9 and moves into the top-10 in the nation in that category. Sapp is averaging 18 boards per game in his last three contests.
Kirkendoll added a layup off on a drive from the top of the key and a three from the left wing for senior Justin Cueto, his only points of the game, pushed the lead to eight. A 5-for-6 mark from the line around a layup from Austin College pushed the lead to 11 for the visitors.
Junior Brandon Campbell went 5-for-6 from the charity stripe in the final 31 seconds to salt the game away. Campbell came off the bench for 19 points, including an 11-for-13 mark from the free throw line.
Tied at 18 in the first half, a 14-3 run by the Gents pushed the lead to double-digits for the first time in the game. Kirkendoll made a three the hard way and Campbell followed with a conventional triple. Austin College made its own three, but Kirkendoll and junior Kendall Demouchet went back-to-back from downtown to push the lead to nine. Sophomore Trey Barstow missed a triple on the next possession, but Demouchet was able to get a piece of the basketball on the rebound and guide it through the hoop for the tip-in bucket. Centenary led 32-21 with 5:33 left in the first half.
Centenary pushed the lead to as much as 12 in the first period and led by 10 at halftime.
The Gents finished the game with a 57-41 rebounding edge, the second-straight game they have set a new season high for boards.
Austin College trailed 62-54 with seven minutes left, but seven unanswered and a foul gave the Kangaroos a chance to tie the game. Brian Baehl made 3-of-4 from the line before finding Cedric Hudson for the layup. Hudson then made the lay-up while being fouled, but he missed the ensuing free throw as Centenary held on to a 62-61 lead with 3:52 left in the game.
Baehl led the team with 18 points and eight boards to lead a quintet of 'Roos with double-digit scoring. Stephen Igbinosa added 12 points, eight boards and five blocks.
Centenary returns to action tomorrow against Dallas in the Lone Star State. Tip is set for 4 p.m.