Thomas' Clutch Free Throws Sink Wildcats, 69-68

Pineville, La. – Senior F Seth Thomas (Kilgore, Texas) sank a pair clutch free throws with just three seconds remaining in the game to give the Centenary men's basketball team a 69-68 victory over the Louisiana Christian University Wildcats in a non-conference contest on Tuesday evening inside H.O. West Fieldhouse.

The Gents improved to 6-6 with the thrilling win while the Wildcats dropped to 3-7. Louisiana Christian had won two in a row over the Maroon and White and three of the last four in a series that dates back to 1922. Centenary improved to 3-6 on the road this season.

Centenary finished 43.1 % (22-51) from the floor, 23.1 % (6-26) from beyond the arc, and 19-28 from the free throw line for 67.9 %. Louisiana Christian was 24-59 for 40.7 %, just 4-21 from 3-point range for 19 %, and 16-22 at the FT line for 72.7 %, and the Wildcats outrebounded the Gents 41-30. LCU won a close battle in the paint, 32-26, and finished with a 20-6 edge in second-chance points. The Gents edged the Wildcats in fast break points, 13-12, and finished with the advantage in bench points, 26-17.

The Gents totaled 14 assists, six steals, and four blocked shots while the Wildcats had 16 assists, nine steals, and three blocks. Centenary committed 12 turnovers and scored 13 points off of LCU's 19 turnovers. The Wildcats turned the Gents' 12 miscues into 19 points.

The game was tied at 32-32 at halftime after the Gents shot 39.3 % overall from the floor and the Wildcats were 36.7 %. Both teams heated up in the second half as the Gents were 11-23 for 47.8 % and LCU went 13-29 overall for 44.8 %. Centenary was also 4-10 from beyond the arc and 11-15 at the FT line in the second half.  

Senior G AJ Hall (Thibodaux, La.) matched Thomas' 18 points and junior G Craig Collier (North Little Rock, Ark.) also reached double figures as he scored 12. Junior G Kyron Powell (Fort Worth, Texas) scored a season-high six points, senior G Jalen Behr (Athens, Ga.) had five, junior F Jakobi Greenleaf (Houston, Texas) and sophomore G Quentin Beverly (Katy, Texas) each scored four, and junior C Ruben Cazares (Tucson, Ariz.) had two.

Jude Akabueze led the Wildcats in scoring with 21 points, Charles Jones had 11, and Frederick Shields III had 10. Gary Smith had seven, D'Marcus Fugett had six, Jon'Quarius McGhee and Drew Tebbe each scored five, and Konnor DeJean had three.

Thomas was 3-8 from the floor in 38 minutes and finished 12-16 from the FT line. He recorded a double-double with 13 rebounds and added five assists, three steals, and a pair of blocked shots as he reached double figures in scoring for the 12th-consecutive game this season and third-straight double-double. Hall, who nearly matched his season high of 20 points from last month, was 6-10 from the floor in 22 minutes off the bench with three rebounds as he hit a pair of treys in five attempts and was 4-4 from the FT line. Collier played 36 minutes and was 4-8 overall, 1-4 from beyond the arc, and 3-4 at the FT line with three assists, two rebounds, and two steals. Collier has now scored in double figures three times this season.

Powell, playing in just his fourth game this season, was 2-2 from beyond the arc in just three minutes as he provided a spark off the bench. Behr played 26 minutes and was 2-8 overall with a trey and four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Greenleaf played 30 minutes and was 2-5 from the floor with three rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot. Beverly was 2-7 overall in 32 minutes with two assists, a blocked shot, and a rebound and Cazares played five minutes and made his only attempt from the floor.

The Wildcats started hot and took a 12-3 lead at the 11:28 mark of the first half after a basket by McGhee. But, a 14-5 run by the Gents capped by a trey from Hall tied the game at 17-17 with 7:55 left before halftime. A layup by Hall at the 4:39 mark gave Centenary its first lead of the half at 23-22. Hall made a pair of FT's with 1:28 left for a 30-27 lead, the Gents' largest of the half, but the Wildcats were able to tie the game at 32-32 in the final seconds of the half.

LCU started the second half much like it started the first and opened up an eight-point lead (44-36) just five minutes into action following a 3-pointer by Jones. A layup by Hall, though, tied the game at 48-48 with 10:02 left to cap a 12-4 Centenary run. Thomas made a pair of FT's and Collier followed with a jumper to give the Gents a 56-52 lead with 7:47 remaining.

The lead then changed hands multiple times over the next seven minutes until Collier broke a 65-65 tie with a layup to give the Gents a 67-65 lead with only 44 seconds left. Tebbe then nailed a trey with 20 seconds left for a 68-67 lead. Akabueze fouled Thomas to send him to the line with just three seconds left and Thomas sank both to punctuate Centenary's comeback win.

The Gents will play their next three games at home and six of their next eight will be at the friendly confines of the Gold Dome. Centenary, which hammered Millsaps 85-45 on Dec. 5 in its most recent home game, is a stellar 38-8 on its home court in its last 46 games and has won 14 of 16.

Centenary, 1-2 so far in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play, returns home for a New Year's Eve matinee in SCAC play against the Colorado College Tigers set for Noon inside the Gold Dome.

See the complete Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/schedule

Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests.

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