SEWANEE, Tenn. –
Tre Corrigan posted 25 points and
Russ Marr and
Fletcher Bigham each netted 15, but Braxton Benham netted 24 of his game-high 41 points in the second half, helping Berry to a 91-80 victory over Sewanee in men's basketball action here Friday night at Juhan Gymnasium.
The Tigers (15-7, 7-2 SAA) led by as many as 13 points in the first half before a 12-2 spurt late in the period cut the deficit to three for the Vikings (15-7, 8-1) at the break. Sewanee was ice cold from 3-point range in the second period, hitting only 1-of-14.
Benham was nearly unstoppable in the final 20 minutes, making 9-of-14 from the field with four triples, including 13 consecutive points at one time. He and Nile King combined for 25 straight points for the Vikings from the 7:50 mark of the half until the final minute.
Even despite Benham's 41 points, Sewanee trailed 80-76 with 2:40 to play, but the Tigers missed their last three shot attempts and committed one turnover, scoring only at the foul line. Baskets by Benham and King pushed the Berry lead back to eight and Sewanee never got closer than six the rest of the way.
King finished with 14 points, Isaac Martin added 12 and Benham grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Corrigan started the game on fire, scoring 20 points in the first 13 minutes with four 3-pointers. He made a triple plus two free throws and a layup during an early 9-2 spurt, giving the Tigers a 12-8 edge.
Corrigan added two more 3-pointers in a 9-3 run midway through the period for a 21-11 advantage, but Benham's three for the Vikings and 1-of-2 free throws by Mason Lawrence cut the Sewanee lead to six. Corrigan answered with his fourth triple of the period and added another layup, pushing the advantage to 26-15.
Marr's layup with 7:50 left in the half gave the Tigers their biggest lead of the period, 30-17, and Sewanee led by 12 with 5:46 remaining in the half after a layup by Bigham. Berry put together a 12-2 run over the next two minutes, with Benham netting seven of the 12 points, making it a two-point game with 3:34 remaining in the period.
Eli Holland connected on both ends of a 1-and-1 and Corrigan added another layup, stretching the lead back to six, but Benham answered with a three in the final minute and Sewanee held a 43-40 edge at the break.
Corrigan netted 22 points in the half on 8-of-13 shooting and Bigham collected nine points. Benham paced the Vikings with 17 points and Martin posted 10. The Tigers committed 11 turnovers in the period, leading to 10 points for Berry, which kept the visitors in the game.
Drew Winegarden made a pair of 3-pointers and Martin added another in a quick start to the second period for Berry. The Tigers came back with an 11-0 spurt behind two baskets from
Graham Smith and a triple by Corrigan for a 56-49 advantage five minutes into the half.
The lead remained between two and five points until a three by Benham and two foul shots from Jacob Morgan tied the game at 63. Bigham had a pair of field goals for a 67-63 edge, but that's when Benham took over, starting his personal 13-0 spurt with two layups before hitting three consecutive 3-pointers.
Holland's layup and two free throws from Marr made it a one-point game with 4:48 remaining, but Benham kept pouring it on and then he and King played a two-man game, with King scoring eight straight. Sewanee had no answer and the Vikings pulled away for the win.
Sewanee ends the regular season home schedule this Sunday with a 3 p.m. contest against Oglethorpe. Senior Day activities will take place before the game Sunday.
