Men's Basketball News
Men's basketball clinches SCAC title with win over DePauw
In a hard-fought game, the Centre College men's basketball team defeated DePauw University 69-66 Saturday, Feb. 16 in Greencastle, Ind. and in the process clinched the regular season Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) championship and set a new league mark with its 21st consecutive win.
Coming in with a target on their back as the number 3 ranked team in the nation, the Centre Colonels were faced with a tough DePauw team that refused to back down. After gaining an early 2-0 lead on a lay-up by sophomore forward Danny Noll (Glencoe, Ky.), the DePauw Tigers took the lead 3-2 and were able to hold on to the lead for the remainder of the half. After trading baskets 11:48 mark in the first half DePauw went on an 11-0 to extend their lead to twelve at 26-14.
The Colonels, not allowing their opponents to pull away, fought back with a 20-9 run of their own, sparked by a Thomas Britt (Louisville, Ky.) three pointer, to make the game 35-34 with 2:27 left in the half. The teams traded points throughout the final two minutes of the half with DePauw taking a two point lead into the locker room at halftime with the score being 38-36.
In the second half the games stayed close with the teams trading points as well as the lead. The largest lead of the half being a six point lead taken by the Colonels at 57-51 with 12:16 left in the after another three pointer by Thomas Britt.
The Tigers then regained the lead at 60-59 with 6:41 left in the contest after a 7-2 run; however the lead would not hold. After consecutive lay-ups by Ryan Crowdis (Louisville , Ky.) and Ross Herman (Louisville , Ky.), Centre took a 63-60 lead at the 4:27 mark in the half, only to see DePauw run off four quick points and retake the lead at 64-63 with 3:25 left in the game.
That was the last lead of the game for the Tigers, the Colonels determined to keep their impressive winning streak alive finished the game with a 6-2 run over the last 3 minutes to close out the game and add yet another victory to their record. Senior Thomas Britt scored all of the final six points for the Colonels and clenched the victory with two clutch free throws with only three seconds remaining on the clock.
Britt led the Colonels in scoring with 22 points on 8-10 shooting. T.C. Thomason (Russellville , Ky.), Matt Nestheide (Edgewood , Ky.) and Danny Noll also chipped in 11 points apiece in the victory which ran the Colonel's record to 21-1 and their conference record to a perfect 12-0.
The Colonels will wrap up their season on the road with games at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Ga. and at The University of the South (Sewanee) in Sewanee, Tenn. on Friday and Sunday respectively.
|
