LEXINGTON, Va. – The Centre men's basketball team returned to action from the holiday break and improved to 10-1 on the year as the Colonels held off a late rally to defeat the Washington & Lee Generals 93-85 in tournament action.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Colonels shot lights out in the first half, connecting on 9 of 12 attempts from long range, including a perfect 6 for 6 from junior
Art Walker.
- Centre led by double figures for most of the opening period, with the lead ballooning to as many as 18 points before the Generals closed to within 50-39 at halftime.
- A dunk and free throw by
Jacob Bates, followed by a layup from
Bailey Rakes equaled the largest lead of the game for the Colonels at 64-46 before the Generals made a furious rally to tie the score at 68-68.
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Perry Ayers scored the next five points of the game to keep the Generals at bay. After W&L tied the score once more at 77-77, Bates broke the tie with a basket and then assisted on a three-point play from Ayers before converting one of his own to put Centre up 85-80.
- The Generals would get no closer than three points the rest of the way as the Colonels made five of their last six free throws to seal their tenth victory of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Bates tied his career high with 26 points, including 16 in the second half, to go along with a team high nine rebounds.
- Walker finished with a season high 25 points, with 20 of them coming in the first half. Walker connected on 7 of 9 from three-point range as Centre burned the nets from downtown, making 69 percent of their attempts from long range.
- Ayers and
Tucker Sine each scored in double figures for the Colonels, with Ayers scoring ten of his 15 points in the second half.
- The Colonels finished with 16 assists on their 30 made baskets and had just 11 turnovers while forcing the Generals into 15 turnovers.
NEXT UP
Centre men's basketball will remain in Virginia for the championship game of the Washington & Lee Tournament. The Colonels will face either Cabrini or the College of New Jersey at 4:30 on Saturday.