SHREVEPORT, La. - The Gents head to the 2017 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament winners of 3-of-4 as Centenary (12-13, 6-8 SCAC) knocked off Austin College (6-19, 2-12 SCAC) 102-98 in overtime Saturday night, February 18.
Austin College led for the most of the game and by 10 with four minutes left in regulation, but the Gents recorded the 10th tie of the game to send the game into overtime. ���With less than a minute left, senior James Sapp made a layup to put the Gents 99-98, a lead they would not relinquish.
Sapp finished the game with 29 points, as he scored 8-of-the-15 points for Centenary in overtime. He also added 10 rebounds for his 14th double-double of the season.
Although Sapp put Centenary in the lead for good at 99-98, Sapp turned the ball over on the next offensive possession for the Gents and then fouled Austin College's Steven Igbinosa. However, Igbinosa missed both from the line and sophomore Treylan Matthews pulled down the board. He pushed the ball ahead to junior Travion Kirkendoll. Kirkendoll split from the charity stripe, but a missed three led to Sapp's 10th board of the game and a trip to the line with six seconds left.
Sapp sank both free throws to clinch the Centenary four-point win in the final home game of 2017.
Kirkendoll made 8-for-12 from the line to finish with 22 points, while Matthews narrowly missed the triple-double with 10 assists and eight rebounds and points apiece.
Centenary took advantage of committing only eight turnovers to the 'Roos 16, and a 22-8 advantage in points off of miscues. While the Gents only shot 37.8 percent (34-for-90) for the game, compared to 41.7 percent (35-for-84) for Austin College, the two teams traded places in overtime. The Gents made 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) from the floor in the extra session, compared to 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) for the visitors.
After both teams played nip-and-tuck in the early going, Austin College led 34-25 with 5:48 left in the first half. Junior KJ Boyd made a pair from the line and freshman Cedric Harris hit a jumper. Matthews made a pair from the charity stripe and Harris hit a layup. The 'Roos built back the lead to eight with a minute left in the half, but Harris made a fastbreak layup and junior Dyllon Weaver added a bucket.
The 'Roos held a slim 44-40 advantage at the break.
Harris shot 9-for-15 from the field in the game and added the double-double with 20 points and 12 boards.
Down 85-75 with four minutes left, the Gents scored nine unanswered to pull within one. Sapp hit a jumper and then made four free throws to cut the deficit to four. Kirkendoll ended the spurt with an old-fashioned three. Josh Dickerman hit a couple of free throws for the 'Roos, but Kirkendoll answered with a three to tie the ballgame at 87.
Kirkendoll hit a pair from the line to tie the game at 89 with 1:27 left in the half, but neither team could score to close out regulation.
With Austin College holding a slim 69-68 lead, an 11-0 run gave the visitors its largest lead of the game. Brian Baehl made a layup and Austin Freet made the hoop while being fouled. Andrew Rivera hit a three, Baehl split from the line, and Justin Wade made a layup. Austin College led by 12 with seven minutes left in regulation.
Six players reached double-digit scoring, led by Freet's 17 points and nine boards. Baehl added 13 points and five assists, while Igbinosa added 12 points and 10 boards for the double-double.
Centenary, the sixth seed in the upcoming conference tournament, will close out the quarterfinal night of the SCAC Tournament Friday, February 24, taking on third-seeded Texas Lutheran. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Georgetown, Texas.
