SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Luka Avaliani netted 24 points,
Fletcher Bigham registered 20 points and Sewanee erased an 11-point second-half deficit before dropping an 78-72 decision at Center College in men's basketball action Wednesday night in Danville, Ky.
The Tigers (12-6, 4-1 SAA) played without leading scorer
Russ Marr because of injury and struggled from 3-point range in the loss, hitting just 5-of-21 from behind the arc. Sewanee trailed by 10 in the first half and 11 early in the second period before rallying on the road.
The Colonels (11-6, 3-2) started the second half with an 11-4 run, with Jaxson Banks netting six points and Nolan Wahl hitting a 3-pointer for a 45-34 advantage for the home team.
Graham Smith and
Tre Corrigan each made triples for the Tigers, cutting the deficit to four, but Landen Hamilton answered with a 3-point play for Centre. Avaliani's old-fashioned 3-point play and 1-of-2 free throws from Smith and Avaliani made it a two-point game with 11 minutes to go.
Corrigan's 3-point play and a layup from Avaliani gave Sewanee its first advantage of the game, 61-60, with seven minutes remaining. Banks and Hamilton answered with field goals for the Colonels and Hunter Coleman and Banks each made 3-pointers, helping Centre regain the lead, 70-65.
Ryan Shene's triple increased the Colonels lead to 73-67 before Corrigan answered with a three in the final minute. The Tigers stole the inbounds pass but Corrigan missed a 3-pointer. Sewanee got the ball back after it went off a Centre player but another 3-point attempt was no good and Bigham's putback pulled the Tigers within, 74-72, with 20 seconds to go.
Hamilton netted two free throws with 13.2 seconds to play and after another missed three, Coleman added two more foul shots with 5.2 seconds remaining for the final margin.
Smith finished with 10 points and tied his career-high with 17 rebounds while Avaliani added nine boards and Bigham posted eight. Avaliani and Corrigan each handed out seven assists. Avaliani and Bigham made 21-of-40 field goals but the rest of the team was just 9-for-29.
Wahl led the Colonels with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Hamilton collected 18 points, Coleman posted 14 and Banks had 13. Centre connected on 11-of-37 from behind the arc and recorded 15 points on 12 Sewanee turnovers.
Avaliani netted two field goals in the first five minutes, cutting the Centre lead to 7-6, before consecutive 3-pointers from Hamilton and Wahl extended the advantage to 13-6. The Tigers failed to score for more than four minutes until a Smith three.
Bigham followed with a layup, making it 13-11 midway through the period. Banks and Johnny Djema each scored for the Colonels around a triple from Ingram, pushing the Centre lead to 20-11.
Avaliani posted a layup and Corrigan connected on two free throws, but Hamilton came back with a field goal and Coleman drilled a 3-pointer for Centre. Wahl's layup at the six-minute mark gave the home team a 27-17 advantage.
Bigham and Avaliani both netted baskets and Centre missed five consecutive field goal attempts but the Tigers missed four straight shots and committed a turnover. Wahl made two free throws before two baskets in a row by Avaliani cut the deficit to four, but Ingram answered with a 3-pointer for the Colonels and Hamilton made a layup with a minute left in the period.
Eli Holland's layup in the last 30 seconds made it a four-point game at the break. Avaliani netted 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting while Hamilton scored nine points and Coleman had eight.
Sewanee returns home this Sunday for a 3 p.m. contest against Millsaps at Juhan Gymnasium.
