Box Score SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Russ Marr's 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime capped a furious back-and-forth contest, giving Sewanee an 81-80 victory over Rhodes College in men's basketball action here Friday night at Juhan Gymnasium, starting a weekend of celebration of 100 Years of Basketball for the Tiger program.
Mike Wagner made one free throw for the Lynx with 3.0 seconds remaining in the extra period and Sewanee threw the ball to halfcourt before calling a timeout. Luke Avaliani inbounded the pass to
Graham Smith, who found a wide-open Marr at the top of the key for the winning jumper, with the clock expiring while the shot was in the air for the home victory for the Tigers.
Rhodes missed a chance in regulation to take the lead with two free throws by Phil Dotson, but the sophomore missed the first before making the second and
Tre Corrigan's 35-footer at the buzzer hit the back of the rim and bounced out, forcing overtime.
In the final minute of the extra period, Marr's layup with 50.0 seconds to play gave Sewanee a 77-76 edge, but Dotson answered on the other end with a basket with 34.9 seconds remaining. Marr missed on the other end and Trevor Lombard grabbed the rebound for Rhodes, but he also made only 1-of-2, keeping the door open for the Tigers.
Marr was fouled with 6.0 seconds to play, but the junior made the first but missed the second for a one-point lead for the Lynx and setting up the miss by Wagner with 3.0 seconds left.
The final minute of regulation provided the same drama, with Sewanee holding a 67-66 advantage thaks to a layup by
Eli Holland before Dotson missed a 3-pointer from the corner.
Reid Carrier grabbed the rebound but stepped out of bounds in doing so, giving the ball back to the Lynx.
Dotson was fouled on the ensuing possession with 25.2 seconds remaining, hitting one to even the score. Marr lost the ball near the top of the key and Corrigan recovered near midcourt, dribbling between defenders with the clock running down before heaving a long-distance shot that was online but just a hair long.
Neither team led by more than seven points in the contest and the lead changed 35 times with 13 ties.
Avaliani led the Tigers with 19 points and Marr scored 17 while Corrigan and
Rashaun Williams each netted 11. Dotson led all scorers with 32 points, with three other Rhodes players in double figures.
Sewanee missed its first five shots of the game before a layup by Marr and a Williams basket. Corrigan made a 3-pointer for an 8-7 Tigers edge just over six minutes into the first half and the junior followed with a layup, but Rhodes got a basket by Dotson and a triple from Trevor Lombard.
Carrier's 3-pointer cut the Lynx lead to one at 16-15 before two foul shots for Cass Ramberg and a dunk by Shawn Jones, Jr., pushed the advantage to five. Carrier answered with another three and consecutive layups from Marr and Avaliani put Sewanee ahead for the first time, 23-22, with 6:40 remaining in the half.
The teams traded baskets the rest of the half, with
Fletcher Bigham and Marr hitting layups and Carrier connecting on two free throws for the Tigers. Marr also made two foul shots and added another layup. Dotson's two shots at the charity stripe made it 33-32 at intermission. Marr posted 11 points and Carrier added eight off the bench while Doston netted 14 points for the Lynx, taking 13 of the team's 25 shots in the period.
Sewanee ends a four-game homestand Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest against Hendrix College.
