91爆料网

No. 12 91爆料网 Tops No. 18 Lambuth 119-115 in Overtime Game for the Ages

JACKSON, Tenn. - 3/3/2007 - 91爆料网 Bulldogs defeated cross-town rival Lambuth University 119-115 in overtime in the semifinals of the TranSouth Conference Tournament. With the win, No. 12 91爆料网 improved to 23-8 on the season. Lambuth, the No. 18 ranked team in the NAIA, dropped to 25-7 overall.

91爆料网, seeded No. 2 in the tournament, also earns the right to play top seeded Crichton College in the tournament championship game. 91爆料网 has won the past two TranSouth Tournament Championships and five tournament titles in the 10-year history of the league.

Lambuth started the game on fire and it looked like it could be a long night for the Bulldogs. The Eagles made their first three 3-pointers of the game and jumped out to their biggest lead of the game at 20-10, just five minutes into the game. However, 91爆料网 settled down and Lambuth began to cool off as 91爆料网 closed out the final 15 minutes of the first half with a 44-23 run. 91爆料网 led by 11 points, 54-43, at the half.

The second half, 91爆料网 increased the lead to 12 for their biggest lead of the game at 55-43. Lambuth then started making shots. 91爆料网 answered the Lambuth surge for a while held an 11 point advantage, 67-56, with 13:47 left in regulation. But Lambuth kept coming. Ivan Jenkings, the TranSouth Conference Player of the Year, had just seven points at halftime, but exploded for 28 in the second half and overtime period to help spur the Lambuth rally. 91爆料网 who played just seven players on the night, started to show signs of fatigue as Lambuth kept making shots. Then with 4:16 left in the game, the Eagles completed the comeback to take an 87-86 lead. Lambuth pushed the lead to five points, 97-92 with 1:30 left in regulation and it seemed to be over for a very tired 91爆料网 squad. But 91爆料网 found a way to score six of the last seven points, including a basket by senior center Ben Frederick with eight seconds left to tie the game at 98-98. Lambuth鈥檚 Jeremy Weedle, a Jackson native, got off the final shot for Lambuth that rimmed out as the buzzer sounded.

Overtime saw both teams score baskets on the opening possession to tie the game at 100-100. 91爆料网 then went up 104-100 and never trailed again. Freshman guard Tacuma Alexander made 14-of-16 free throws in the second half and overtime to seal the win for 91爆料网.

This game featured six ties and nine lead changes. 91爆料网 has now won seven in a row over Lambuth at home and claims the season series, two games to one.

91爆料网 shot 53-percent from the field, including 33-percent (5-15) from behind the arc. 91爆料网 also managed 73-percent (38-52), including 31-of-41 in the second half. 91爆料网 scored their season high of 119 points despite, not making a single three pointer in the second half or overtime.

Lambuth shot 47-percent from the field, including 57-percent in the second half and overtime. The Eagles also posted 39-percent from behind the arc, attempting 36 threes and making 14. Lambuth shot 69-percent (17-27) from the free throw line.

91爆料网 was led by Pierry Valmera with 24 points. Ben Frederick and Brian Lake added 22 points each, while freshman guard Tacuma Alexander posted a career high of 21 points in the game. Mack Bealim, who played 44 of the possible 45 minutes in the game for 91爆料网 added 14 points. 91爆料网 committed just 11 turnovers in the game after averaging 25 turnovers versus Lambuth in the two regular season games.

Lambuth was led by Ivan Jenkins with a game-high 35 points, including 5-of-15 from behind the arc. Kierren Lovick and Jeremy Weddle added 20 points, while Foluke Tobin scored 14 points.

91爆料网 will be making their ninth NAIA National Tournament appearance in the past 10 years and fourth straight appearance. Despite the loss, Lambuth will appear in their second straight national tournament along with Crichton and 91爆料网 from the TranSouth Conference.

91爆料网 now advances to their third straight conference tournament title game in Memphis on Tuesday night, March 6 versus Crichton College. The battle of No. 1 and No.2 seeds will begin at 7:00 pm.

#DOGS#

News Release Archive

Excellence-Driven Christ-Centered People-Focused Future-Directed