DANVILLE, Ky. – Centre's
Jacob Bates tipped in a game-winning basket in the final seconds Saturday, giving the Colonels a 71-69 victory over Sewanee on Senior Day inside Alumni Gymnasium.
The bucket came with just .9 left on the clock, ending a thrilling game that featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes.
Centre finishes with regular season 21-4 overall and 11-3 in the Southern Athletic Association, avenging an earlier loss to the Tigers, who slide to 12-13 overall and 6-8 in-conference.
Prior to the game, Bates was honored along with
Perry Ayers,
Jakob Spitzer,
Bailey Rakes and
Art Walker as part of Senior Day.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Trailing 10-7, the Colonels went on a 10-1 run to regain a lead early in the opening half.
- Sewanee climbed back and took a brief 24-23 advantage with five minutes left in the period, and after hitting 6 of 10 from long range led by a 33-29 margin at the halftime break.
- The Tigers scored five quick to open the second to take their biggest lead and force a fast timeout from the Colonels.
- Ayers later responded with five straight points, capped by a traditional 3-point play that made it 40-36 by the 16-minute mark.
- Walker would likewise convert an and-one soon after to tie the game at 41 apiece, and a Bates layup by the under-12 media timeout had the Colonels back on top, 45-43.
- Sewanee stopped the run and continued to battle, eventually taking a 66-65 lead with just one minute remaining.
- Ayers would get to the free throw line and convert both to give Centre the lead, and, following a Sewanee miss, hit two more to make it 69-66.
- Jordan Warlick connected on a crucial 3-pointer on the next possession for the Tigers, setting up Bates' spectacular game-winner on the other end.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ayers led the Colonels with 21 points, adding seven rebounds, while Bates totaled 20 points and a team-high eight boards.
- Centre had a rare off night from long range, shooting 3 of 14 from deep as a team, but sank all 16 of it free throws.
- The Colonels out-rebounded the Tigers, 32-27, and also held a large 40-22 edge in points in the paint.
INTERVIEW
UP NEXT
Centre enters the postseason as the top seed in the upcoming SAA Tournament, and will host Rhodes in a quarterfinal matchup next Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
