SHREVEPORT, La. - Despite a few close games, the visitors entered the Gold Dome with a perfect Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference mark. Big runs to end the first half and in the middle of the second helped the Gents tally their first win against a ranked NCAA Division III opponent.
The Maroon and White used a 22-2 run in the final 4:20 of the first half and never trailed in the second as Centenary (11-9, 4-6 SCAC) knocked off #21 Texas Lutheran (16-4, 8-1 SCAC) 87-82 Sunday afternoon, January 31.
Trailing 28-16 with 4:47 left in the first, the Gents scored 19 unanswered to take the lead for good. It started with an offensive rebound by freshman Mitchell Tarantolo, who fed classmate Treylan Matthews. Matthews drove in and got the hoop and harm to cut the deficit to single digits. Matthews then picked up a steal and fed sophomore Travion Kirkendoll for the fastbreak hoop. Kirkendoll, who narrowly missed the double-double with 20 points and nine boards, grabbed the rebound, and found Campbell for the fastbreak hoop. Campbell, who recorded with first career double-double with 18 points and 10 assists, grabbed the offensive board and fed Kirkendoll for the old-fashioned three-point play to cut the deficit to two.
A three by Campbell gave Centenary its first lead since the contest's opening minutes, a lead it would not relinquish.
A pair of free throws by Matthews and Campbell, as well as a Campbell steal and dime to Matthews for the fastbreak hoop, capped the 19 unanswered in exactly three minutes.
Paris Marquez looked to stem the momentum for Texas Lutheran with a pair from the line, but junior James Sapp nailed a triple on a dime from Campbell to close the first half. Centenary led 38-30.
Texas Lutheran scored 13 unanswered in the second half to tie the game at 53 with 11:46 left, but the Maroon and White responded with seven straight and never led by less than five the rest of the way. Campbell hit a pair from the line and a fastrbreak triple. Matthews, who came off the bench for a career high 27 points on 8-for-12 shooting, hit a jumper to push the home team's advantage back to seven.
The Gents only hit 4-of-25 (16 percent) from the field to begin the game, but they finished 21-of-39 (53.8 percent) in the final 24:20 of the game in the win. Sapp added his 11th double-double with 13 points and 12 boards.
The Bulldogs jumped to a 16-6 lead early, but Centenary cut it to 20-16 with 8:44 left in the first half. However, Jordan Kourmetis hit a jumper and Zach Behr split from the line on consecutive occasions. Marquez and Kourmetis both hit a pair from the line as the Texas Lutheran lead ballooned to 12, its largest of the game.
Kourmetis led Texas Lutheran with 18 points, but shot 5-for-18 from the field to tally his scoring.
Down 13 in the second half, the Bulldogs scored 13 straight to tie the game. Holmes and Kourmetis hit back-to-back triples and Kourmetis hit all three free throws on a foul beyond the arc. Matthew Gillette and Holmes hit layups to tie the game with 11:46 left, but the Gents scored seven straight.
Texas Lutheran cut the lead to five with a minute left, but Campbell found Matthews with a clear path to the basket on the left wing. He drove baseline and hit the hoop while being fouled to give Campbell his career-best 10th assist for the game. Matthews hit the ensuing free throw and two more with five seconds left to cap the career game.
Centenary wraps up home conference play next weekend, welcoming Austin College to the Gold Dome Friday, February 5, at 6 p.m.
