SHREVEPORT, La. - The Centenary men's basketball team received to 20-plus point scoring efforts in its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference opener, but it wasn't enough as the Gents (4-7, 0-1 SCAC) fell 83-76 in overtime to Colorado College.

James Sapp paced the Maroon and White with 21 points and 10 rebounds while Travion Kirkendoll added 20 points leading a quartet of double figure scorers in the conference lid-lifter. Brandon Campbell added 12 points with 10 coming from Caden Cheramie.

Centenary led by as many as nine points with under eight minutes to play, but a Chris Lesnansky 3-pinter with 21 ticks remaining capped a 17-8 run for the Tigers and thrust the contest into the extra period knotted at 64-all. Lesnansky finished the contest with 11 points.

The Black and Gold opening the final, five minutes with an 8-0 run behind 4 of Russell Clark's team-best 16 points on the evening. Centenary managed to work the deficit to five points on three, different occasions, but a pair of free throws from Tyler Jonas and Luke Winfield down the stretch kept the Maroon and White at bay.

Centenary shot 38.5 percent from the field and were 31.6 percent from behind the arc. The Gents struggled at the free-throw line connecting on 54.1 percent of their shots.

The Tigers fired 48.2 percent from the floor including a 38.1 clip from downtown. The Tigers connected on 84 percent from the free-throw line in the outing including 11-of-12 in the extra session.

Centenary returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 3 as its hosts Colorado College for the second, straight contest. Tip is slated for 6 p.m.