Box Score
JACKSON – With 2.1 seconds remaining in the game, Millsaps College senior guard
Blake Martinez gave the Majors a 1-point lead with a free throw for one of his team-high 15 points to lead the Majors to their fifth straight victory, 53-52 in thrilling fashion over Centre College Friday night at The Hangar Dome.
After a layup by the Colonels’ Alex Lloyd tied the score 52-52, Martinez got the inbounds pass and was fouled by Danny Noll sending him to the charity stripe for two free throws.
Martinez hit the first free throw and head coach Tim Wise called timeout to discuss the plan for the second attempt.
The plan consisted of Martinez purposely missing the second free throw – only the fourth missed free throw this season by Martinez – forcing Centre to use its final timeout and running the clock down to two seconds.
The Colonels lobbed the ball down the court where it was caught by Jeff Mullaney, who proceeded to launch a 3-pointer that bounced off the rim and harmlessly away as the final buzzer sounded.
Centre’s Bryon Ellis started the game with a 3-point basket from long range and the Colonels built a 10-6 lead in the opening minutes.
The Majors responded by scoring 21 of the game’s next 23 points to take a commanding 27-12 lead.
Junior
LV Sumler increased the lead to a game-high 17 when he put back an offensive rebound and made the free throw after being fouled on the play.
Millsaps closed the opening half with a 30-15 advantage.
Beginning the second half, Centre came out with intensity and cut the lead down to five with three 3-point baskets from Ellis.
The teams battled back-and-forth for the next six minutes until the Majors again took a double-digit lead 44-34 following a Martinez jumper.
The Colonels continued to hang around as they got the lead down to 48-45 with a jumper by Mullaney.
Millsaps would take a 52-47 lead with three minutes to play in regulation with a free throw by senior
Cameron Varnado.
Centre scored the next five points to tie the score 52-52 capped by Lloyd’s layup leading up to Martinez's free throw and the exciting finale.
Both Varnado and Sumler contributed 11 points for the Majors while Ellis led the Colonels with a game-high 18 points going 6-for-10 from behind the arc as Centre finished the game with ten made 3-pointers.
With the victory, the Majors evened their season record at 7-7 overall and 3-3 in the SCAC while the Colonels drop to 8-5 overall and 4-2 in the conference.
Millsaps remains at home as it concludes its 7-game homestand against conference opponent DePauw University Sunday afternoon. The game is scheduled for 2:00 pm.