'Roos Hold Off Millsaps for 66-61 Victory

'Roos Hold Off Millsaps for 66-61 Victory

SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College men's basketball team held a double-digit lead and held off a late comeback bid by the visiting Millsaps Majors, coming away with a 66-61 victory on Thursday afternoon in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 3-4 overall this season.

The win avenges an early season loss to the Majors, as the 'Roos had previously fallen at Millsaps 82-75 on November 19. On Thursday, Austin College led by as many as 13 points midway through the first half and again in the second half, but the Majors trimmed the margin to as little as one late in the game.

Austin College never trailed in the game, scoring the game's first six points. Millsaps tied things at 8-8 with 16:28 left but three pointers from Jeremy Swisher, Austin Wells, Austin Freet, Andres Rivera, and Brian Baehl helped the 'Roos take a 29-16 lead with 9:34 left before halftime. The Majors would get the score back into single digits but a triple from Josh Dickerman put Austin College up 42-32 heading into halftime.

The 'Roos maintained a big lead through the early part of the second half, building the lead to 52-39 with 13:38 on the clock, but Millsaps would use an 11-0 run to get the margin down to just two points with 8:48 left to play. A three pointer from Brennan Gagen pulled Millsaps to within a point at 54-53 with 7:37 left, but Swisher answered with a trey of his own and JP Feider scored to make it 59-53 with 6:18 left to play.

Millsaps got it down to a two point game at 63-61 with 2:02 left, and had a chance to tie the game when they trailed 64-61 with under a minute to play, but Baehl came away with a steal and Swisher finished on the other end to make it a 66-61 final.

Baehl finished with 14 points, six assists, and four rebounds to lead Austin College, and Swisher chipped in 10 points, four boards, and three assists. Wells, Feider, and Stephen Igbinosa each had seven points in a balanced scoring effort for Austin College.

Buck Blanz scored 15 for Millsaps, while Sam Kohnke had 13 and Gagen added 11. The Majors hit just 4-of-22 three pointers in the game and were hounded into 20 turnovers.

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.