SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Luka Avaliani posted 30 points and 10 rebounds and
Tre Corrigan added 25 points, but Sewanee could not overcome 15 turnovers, dropping an 86-80 decision to top-seeded Berry College in the semifinals of the SAA Championships on Saturday in Mt. Berry, Ga.
Sewanee tied the game at 73 with 3:32 remaining but Berry answered with 11 of the next 13 points, with Sewanee hitting 1-of-3 shots with two turnovers and two missed free throws. That put the game away for the Vikings and ended the season for the Tigers (12-15).
Avaliani made all 14 field goal attempts with one 3-pointer while Corrigan netted 7-of-11 from behind the arc, covering all but four of his 25 points in the loss. The remaining six players who saw action for the Tigers (12-15) made only 9-of-26 shots while Avaliani and Corrigan connected on 23-for-35 from the field, 8-of-12 from 3-point range.
Blake Campbell, who scored 40 points against Sewanee just 13 days ago in an overtime win for the Vikings, recorded 39 points in Saturday's victory, making 13-of-20 from the field and 10-for-14 at the foul line. Berry committed just seven turnovers in the contest compared to 15 for the Tigers, which the Vikings converted into 14 points.
Braxton Benham added 17 points for Berry, which shot just 32 percent (7-of-22) from 3-point range but 55 percent (23-for-42) from inside the arc.
Sewanee scored the first five points of the game, including a three by Corrigan, but the Vikings ran off seven straight points. Berry would extend the lead to 4-6 points but the Tigers would answer thanks to baskets by Avaliani,
Reid Carrier and
Cody Baerlocher. A 7-1 spurt by the home team put Berry in front, 30-20, with eight minutes left in the opening half.
Carrier scored the Tigers' first basket in almost four minutes and Avaliani added two more field goals, cutting the deficit to 32-26, but Campbell made two foul shots and Jacob Morgan hit a 3-pointer, pushing the Vikings advantage to 37-26 with six minutes until intermission.
Sewanee netted the next nine points, though, including a basket by Baerlocher and three consecutive field goals from Avaliani, including his only 3-pointer of the game, making it a two-point game with three minutes to go in the first period. Corrigan nailed a triple just before the halftime buzzer and the Tigers trailed, 42-40, at the half.
Corrigan added two more 3-pointers early in the second period and a basket by
Eli Holland cut the deficit to three six minutes into the half. Another 7-1 spurt by the Vikings pushed their lead to 60-51 and the Berry lead was still eight before triples by Corrigan and
Russ Marr made it a three-point game with eight minutes to play.
Marr made another 3-pointer for the Tigers and baskets by Avaliani and Baerlocher made it 73-71 with five minutes remaining. Avaliani's field goal with 3:32 on the clock tied the game at 73.
