SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College men's basketball team held off visiting Schreiner University 67-63 to snap a five game skid and improve to 11-5 overall and 1-5 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Friday evening. Alan Sullivan scored 19 to pace the 'Roos in the victory.
The 'Roos got out to a slow start to open the game, falling behind 14-3 seven and a half minutes in. The Schreiner lead grew to 18-5 on a basket by Jared Thompson with 10:16 left in the opening half before Andres Rivera drilled a three pointer. Four straight for Schreiner made it 22-8, but Sullivan and Rivera hit threes to highlight an 11-1 run to cut it to a 23-19 game with 4:33 left before halftime.
After Schreiner took a 26-22 lead, the 'Roos battled back and grabbed a 28-27 lead on a bucket by Jeremy Swisher with 1:30 left in the half, giving Austin College its first edge since Cedric Hudson scored to make it 2-0 to start the game. The 'Roos and Mountaineers would head into halftime with the score knotted at 29-29.
Sullivan and Stephen Igbinosa combined for the first 10 points of the second half for Austin College as the 'Roos took a 39-33 lead, and the margin grew to 41-33 on a basket by Hudson with 16:26 left in the game. Austin College pushed the lead to double figures on a Sullivan three pointer and a basket by Brian Baehl to make it 46-35, but Schreiner fought back and cut it to a 51-48 game on a three by Christian Pena with 8:18 remaining.
Austin College twice extended the lead back to seven, but Schreiner kept fighting back and cut it to a 63-61 game with 1:20 left. Austin College got two free throws from Sullivan to make it a two possession game, and after a pair of free throws for the Mountaineers and a turnover by the 'Roos, Schreiner had a chance to tie or take the lead with the score 65-63 and just 11 seconds left. However, Schreiner was whistled for an offensive foul and Josh Dickerman made two free throws in the closing seconds to seal the victory.
Sullivan added seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocked shots to his game high scoring total, and Hudson and Igbinosa each added 11 points. Igbinosa also grabbed six rebounds and swatted six shots.
Pena was the lone Schreiner player in double figures, scoring 12 points to go along with eight rebounds and four assists off the bench.
Austin College is back in action tomorrow when they play host to Trinity University at 4:00 p.m.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.