IRVING, Texas – It was not a once in a 40-year span defense like the Gents had in game one against the Crusaders, but it was a defensive that helped the Gents pick up a critical Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference road win.
Centenary (10-11, 7-5 SCAC) improves to 5-0 in conference play when holding an opponent to 56 points or less thanks to a 57-52 win at Dallas (9-12, 6-6 SCAC) Tuesday night, February 5.
In the first meeting between the two teams, Centenary held Dallas to 39 points, the first time in more than 40 years the Gents held an opponent under 40. They also held the Crusaders without a field for more than five minutes three different times – including the final 10 minutes. Centenary held Dallas without a field goal for more than five minutes twice on Tuesday, including the first 6:49 of the contest.
Trailing 36-31 with 13:36 left in the game, Centenary got the three-point shot going to use a 12-0 run to take the lead for good. Senior Treylan Matthews hit a three before junior Cedric Harris tied the game with a jumper. Following a defensive stand, Harris put Centenary in the lead with a fastbreak three. After Dallas missed a pair from the line, Harris scored his eighth-straight point on a three to put Centenary up six and force a Dallas a timeout.
Freshman Dakota Smith punctuated the run with a layup.
Matthews led all scorers with 18 points, while Harris chipped in with 11. Freshman Kile Mingo added 11. For the game, Centenary made a season low six turnovers.
Centenary held a 46-44 lead with seven minutes left, but Harris made another three and freshman Ty Prince made a layup. Dallas pulled within three with seconds left, but Matthews made a pair from the line to seal the win.
Dallas kept the game close thanks to a 43-36 edge in rebounds and a 13-4 advantage in second-chance points. Down 14-6, an 11-0 run gave Dallas its first lead since 1-0. Rashid Combs made a layup and Jai Love hit a three. Michael Wambsganss made a jumper and Love made a fastbreak layup to put the Crusaders back ahead. Wambsganss made a layup before junior Jericho Gray ended the draught for the Gents with a layup.
Dallas led by three shortly before half before Matthews hit a three to tie the game. Neither team scored in the final minute as the Gents and Crusaders were tied at 23 at the break.
Logan Fruhwirth led Dallas with 15 points, Wambsganss scored 10. Ben Norton came off the bench for 11 boards.
Centenary closes out home play this weekend with a pair of games against the teams from Colorado. The Gents take on Colorado College Friday night, February 8, at 7:30 p.m. Centenary celebrates Senior Night Saturday, February 9, against Johnson & Wales at 6 p.m.
