MARSHALL, Texas - It can sometimes be tough going when you know your 1,000th point is in reach. Senior Treylan Matthews made sure he took care of business right away Saturday afternoon, January 12.
Matthews, who is second in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in 3-point percentage (minimum two made per game), made a three just 50 seconds into the game to break the 1,000-point barrier and give the Gents the lead for good in the game as Centenary (6-9) completed the sweep of I-20 rival East Texas Baptist (6-9) with an 81-61 win on the road.
Matthews finished the game with a season high 25 points and six threes – including 18 points and five threes in the first half alone.
The Gents raced out to a 17-8 lead before scoring 15 straight, holding East Texas Baptist scoreless for nearly eight minutes. Jumpers by junior Cedric Harris and freshman Ty Prince pushed the lead to double digits. Matthews proceeded to score nine straight, thanks to back-to-back fastbreak three pointers, a layup, and a free throw. Freshman Ricky Ray punctuated the run with a fastbreak layup. Centenary led 32-8 with 9:05 left in the first half.
Harris led Centenary with a career high 34 points for the game. Harris and Matthews both grabbed eight boards to lead the Gents.
Centenary led by as much as 27 in the second half before a big East Texas Baptist run whittled the lead to five. However, Harris scored seven straight on a pair of threes around a free throw to push the advantage back to double-digits for good. Centenary held the Tigers without a field goal, and just four free throws in a more than five-minute span late.
After two East Texas Baptist free throws cut the lead to 10 with 6:13 left in the game, Centenary scored seven straight to put the game away. Both teams went scoreless the next two minutes before Harris made a three. After Prince made a pair of free throws, Harris drained a fastbreak jumper.
Matthews capped the game with a layup with 26 seconds left for the final 20-point margin.
After Centenary opened up a 27-point lead with 15:55 left in the game, the Gents went scoreless for nearly six minutes as the Tigers scored 17 unanswered. Jarrell Taylor completed a three-point play before Westin Riddick made a traditional three. Taylor completed another three-point play and Riddick hit another three to cut the lead to 15.
Chris Haynes hit a layup while Nathan Fontenot hit a fastbreak three as Centenary led 56-46 with 10:39 remaining.
East Texas Baptist climbed within five on a Fontenot three and two free throws, but the home team climbed no closer.
Riddick led East Texas Baptist with 15 points while Taylor added 12.
Centenary steps back in to SCAC play Friday, January 18, when it takes on Austin College in the Gold Dome. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.