SHREVEPORT, La. – The Gents Basketball never led for the first 39:58.4 of the game, but a big three tied the game up late in the fourth before senior Treylan Matthews hit the winning jumper with 1.6 left in the contest as Centenary (12-11, 9-5 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) knocked off Johnson & Wales (17-7, 10-5 SCAC) 61-59 Saturday night, February 9.
With just under two minutes and Centenary trailing by three, Matthews buried a triple to tie the game with 1:43 left – the first tie since the game was scoreless. Both teams ratcheted up the defense, but the Wildcats came up empty with less than a minute remaining. Centenary missed a three, but freshman Ty Prince wrestled away the rebound as the shot clock was turned off.
Matthews dribbled the ball near midcourt, made his move with six seconds left, and stepped inside the arc and buried a jumper over the defender with 1.6 seconds left. A desperation, halfcourt three bounced harmlessly off the backboard as Centenary completed the improbable comeback.
Matthews finished the game with 19 points to cap a stellar week of 71 points in three games (23.7 points per game).
Trailing by 10 with eight minutes left, freshman Kile Mingo and Prince both hit threes to quickly cut the deficit to four. Later down five, Centenary went 3-for-4 to cut the deficit to two.
Prince came off the bench for 17 points and seven boards, Mingo went 4-for-5 from the field for 11 points.
In a relatively clean game, Centenary committed 10 turnovers to Johnson & Wales' six.
Centenary trailed by 10 with less than two minutes remaining until the break, but Mingo hit a three and Prince split from the line for the final 29-23 deficit before half.
Johnson & Wales held a slim 17-15 lead before a 10-2 run opened up the Wildcats first double-digit lead. King Grant-Parry and Bailey Stephens hit a jumper. Matthews answered with a layup, Andrew Romero hit a pair of free throws and then picked up a steal and found Jontrell Herman for a layup. Romero finished the run with a layup.
Romero led all scorers with 23.
Centenary returns to action Friday night, February 15, at Southwestern. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
