SHREVEPORT, La. - The Gents easily recorded a season-low eight turnovers and grabbed a season-high 19 steals - including a career-best six thefts by junior Kendall Demouchet - but the Maroon and White could not overcome a 33.7 percent (29-for-86) shooting from the field as Centenary (6-3) fell in overtime to Howard Payne (1-7) 83-74 Saturday afternoon.
Centenary overcame a deficit of 17 in the second half to force overtime, including a 9-2 run in the final 3:10 of regulation. Sophomore Travion Kirkendoll, who scored a game-high 21 points and added four steals of his own, made a layup. Freshman Treylan Matthews picked up his own steal and made the layup in stride to cut the deficit to three. A defensive rebound foul and a split from the line by Howard Payne's Rickey Guillory pushed the deficit to three, but an offensive rebound and foul led to a split for Curtis Gile.
Despite a five point deficit, Kirkendoll came down and drained a triple to cut the deficit to 68-66 with 1:05 left. The Centenary defense held and Kirkendoll made the game-tying layup while being fouled with five seconds left. He missed the ensuing free throw, and the Yellow Jackets grabbed the board. However, Matthews picked off the pass and drove right to the basket. He missed the layup as the Gents went to overtime for the second time this season.
The Gents overcame the 17-point second half deficit thanks to outscoring the Yellow Jackets 19-2 in points off turnovers as Centenary only had two miscues in the second half.
Junior James Sapp added 12 points and 14 rebounds for his fourth-straight double-double and his fifth in six games.
Kirkendoll began the overtime with a layup to give Centenary its first lead since 11:08 in the first half, but Howard Payne went on a 13-2 run to seal the game. Cam Frank tied the game at 70 and two free throws by Khyce Randall gave Howard Payne the lead for good. Bryan Adams added the fastbreak laup to put the visitors up four with 3:03 left. Matthews cut the deficit in half with a layup, but Adams drained a three. He added a jumper and Randall finished the run with a layup as Howard Payne led 81-72 with a minute left.
Randal and DJ Gardner came off the bench to lead the visitors with 15 apiece, while Adams added 13 off the bench in his first game of the season.
Centenary returns to action Sunday against UT Dallas for its final regular season game of the year. Tip off is set for approximately 6 p.m.
