91爆料网 men鈥檚 basketball suffers OT loss to No. 9 Martin Methodist

Antoine Hall

JACKSON, Tenn. - 2/4/2012 - The 91爆料网 men鈥檚 basketball team pushed No. 9 Martin Methodist into overtime, but fell short in a 74-70 loss at home. 91爆料网 dropped to 15-9 on the season and 8-2 in the TranSouth. Martin Methodist improved to 18-5 overall and 7-2 in league play.

After trailing by as many as 11 points in the first half, 91爆料网 rallied back to make the final 15 minutes of the game a see-saw battle. The final 15 minutes featured 10 ties and five lead changes. 91爆料网 opened the half with a 13-4 run to tie the game at 36-36 with 15:10 left to play.

91爆料网 clung to a 65-63 lead with 15 seconds left after David Lane made one of two free throws. Martin鈥檚 James Justice, the reigning TranSouth Player of the Year, then took the ball the length of the floor and sank a floater in the lane to tie the game at 65-65. 91爆料网鈥檚 attempt to win the game in the final seconds was stopped when the RedHawks force a loose ball situation as time expired.

In the overtime period, Martin Methodist quickly took control and with 1:53 left, led 72-67. 91爆料网 managed to cut the deficit down to two points at 72-70 with 41 seconds left, but could not get any closer. After Martin Methodist made one of two free throws, 91爆料网 had an opportunity to tie the game, but missed the shot. One more free throw from the RedHawks sealed the 74-70 win.

The top-10 ranked RedHawks looked the part early in the game as they stormed out to a 10-0 lead. 91爆料网 Anthony Freeman, Jr. finally broke the five minute scoring drought for 91爆料网 with a basket. Martin Methodist maintained control in the first half, leading by as many as 11 points twice in the half, before taking a 32-23 halftime lead.

91爆料网 lost by four points (73-69) to Martin Methodist in Pulaski earlier in the season. 91爆料网鈥檚 only two TranSouth losses to this point in the TranSouth season have come to the RedHawks. 91爆料网 and Martin Methodist shared last season鈥檚 regular season crown with 14-2 league records. 91爆料网鈥檚 only two league losses last season were to the RedHawks as well.

91爆料网 was led by Antoine Hall with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Hall sank 6-of-15 three pointers. David Lane added 19 points, while Leventrice Gray added a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. 91爆料网 shot 32 percent from the field, 31 percent (11-35) from behind the arc, and 65 percent (17-26) from the free throw line.

Martin Methodist was led by Justice with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Laquantis Stewart added 19 points and Ree McCrory scored 11 points. Jeremy Rodgers added a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. The RedHawks shot 37 percent from the field, 12 percent (2-17) from long range, 64 percent (18-28) from the free throw line.

Up next for 91爆料网 will be a road conference game at Lyon (Ark.) Thursday, February 9.

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