Men's Basketball News
Colonels fall 65-63 to Transylvania in home-opener
In its third game of the season decided by exactly two points, the Centre College men's basketball team fell to visiting Transylvania University 65-63 in front of a packed house Saturday, Nov. 22 in Alumni Gymnasium in Danville, Ky.
The Colonels, which had their 25-game regular season unbeaten streak snapped with the loss, fall to 2-1, while Transylvania, playing in its first game of the season, improves to 1-0. Centre had previously defeated both Franklin College and Maryville College by two points before this two-point defeat.
Transylvania jumped out to a strong start scoring 11 of the first 14 points to take an 11-3 lead. The lead grew to 12 points (22-10) with 8:17 remaining in the first half, but was short-lived.
Centre used a 13-0 run and a T.C. Thomason (Russellville, Ky.) lay-up to take a 23-22 lead with just under 3:30 in the opening period. The Pioneers scored the next four points to take a 26-23 lead, only to see the Colonels answer with a 9-0 run to close the half and take a 32-26 lead into the intermission.
Transylvania opened the second half with an 8-2 run to tie the game with 17:34 to play. From there the lead would change hands seven times. After the Pioneer's Brock Jones tied the game at 48 with a free throw shot, Centre knocked down three three-pointers - one by freshman guard Jeff Mullaney (Louisville, Ky.) and two by senior guard Kris Bentley (Pikeville, Ky.) - to lead 57-48 at the 7:45 mark.
Transylvania answered with two three-pointers of its own to pull within three points and would tie the game 2:42 later at 58 apiece. Centre scored the next three points, but Tim Tierney hit a three-pointer to tie the game again with 2:16 left.
After sophomore Alex Lloyd (Lexington, Ky.) hit a lay-up to put Centre back in front, Tierney hit another three-pointer to give the Pioneers the one-point lead. Tierney added a free throw with 0:28 on the clock for a two-point lead giving Centre one last shot to tie or go ahead.
Thomason's shot attempt from the wing wouldn't go and the game ended in a two-point loss for the Colonels. Centre shot 44.2% (19-43) on the night, including 10 of 22 (45.5%) from beyond the three-point arc. Transylvania finished at 43.6% (24-55) from the field, including 13 of 28 (46.4%) from long range. Neither team shot well from the free throw line, combining to make only 19 of 36 attempts (52.7%).
Jones led four Pioneers in double figures with 16 points. Joey Verax added 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Matthew Parton scored 11 points and Tierney finished with 10 points.
Mullaney led Centre with 17 points and five rebounds off the bench. The freshman his six of his 11 shots, including four of seven from the three-point arc. Thomason scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds and Bentley added 10 in the loss.
Centre will return to action Monday, Dec. 1 when it host Berea College. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. in Danville, Ky. |
