SHREVEPORT, La. – The Gents trailed by as much as nine in the second half but hit a layup with eight seconds left to lead by one. However, the hoop and harm with 2.6 seconds left helped the Yellow Jackets claim the two-point win as Centenary (1-6) fell to Howard Payne (1-6) 73-71 Thursday night, November 29.
Centenary had the ball down 70-68 with less than a minute remaining, but a charge gave Howard Payne the ball. The Gents ratcheted up the pressure and senior Kaharri Carter came up with the steal. Freshman Ricky Ray was fouled and split from the line to cut the deficit to one.
Despite the shot clock still on and only a one-point game, Centenary decided to foul the Yellow Jackets. Thomas Bingham missed from the line and freshman Ty Prince grabbed the board. Senior Treylan Matthews made the go-ahead layup with less than 10 seconds left as Centenary led 71-70.
Matthews led the team with 14 points. Centenary forced 23 turnovers, while committing only 11, and led the Yellow Jackets 22-10 in points off turnovers.
With the Gents up one with seconds left, Timothy Aguero took the inbound the length of the court and found Bingham for the hoop and the harm with 2.6 seconds left. Bingham tried to miss the free throw on purpose, but he banked in the attempt to give Howard Payne a 73-71 advantage. Carter's last second attempt went wide as Howard Payne won the game.
Aguerro finished the game with nine assists and no turnovers for the visitors.
Centenary trailed 57-50 before seven unanswered tied the game. Junior Jericho Gray made a jumper and Carter hit a layup. Carter added another layup while being fouled and made the free throw to tie the game. Later in the half with the Gents down 63-62, Carter and Gray made back-to-back layups to give Centenary its largest lead of the second half.
Gray and Carter came off the bench for 14 and 13, respectively, as Centenary outscored Howard Payne 30-17 in bench points.
The Gents led 21-17 in the first half before a 15-5 run gave the visitors a six-point lead. Colton Otts and Bingham made layups to tie the game. Centenary made a free throw, but Cole Bene' answered with a layup to put Howard Payne back in the lead with 5:55 left until intermission. Shadd Cole than made a jump shot and split from the line to extend the lead to four.
Layups from Gray and freshman Ty Prince briefly tied the game, but the Yellow Jackets scored six straight. Evan Adkins made a pair from the line and Cole made back-to-back layups to push the lead to 32-26. A Centenary free throw cut the deficit to 32-27 at the half.
Cole scored 29 points – 18 in the second half alone – on 11-for-13 shooting.
Centenary returns to action next Tuesday, December 4, in an exhibition game at Grambling State. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.