'Roo Men Fall Short Against Schreiner

SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College men's basketball team stuck with Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference-leading Schreiner University until deep into the second half, but the Mountaineers pulled away down the stretch to hand the 'Roos an 88-75 loss on Friday night in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 3-16 overall and 1-7 in conference play. 

Both teams got off to a slow start offensively, with Schreiner the first to reach double-digits in points with a 10-8 lead nearly eight minutes into the game. The Mountaineers would go ahead 14-8 before Austin College fought back and evened things up at 15 apiece on a triple by Kameron Hill with 9:45 left before the break.

Schreiner regained the lead but Michael Holland's triple squared things at 21, and a basket by Kam Hogan gave Austin College a 29-28 edge with 2:37 on the clock. Ellis Jones gave the Mountaineers a 33-32 lead with a minute left but Hill knocked down another three and Justice Mercadel scored to send the 'Roos into halftime leading 37-33.

The lead extended to 39-33 just out of the break before Schreiner used a 9-0 run capped off by a triple from Keenan Gumbs to go on top 42-39. The Mountaineers slowly started to pad the margin, taking a 52-43 lead with 12:52 left in the game. The lead would grow to 14 at 65-51 with 8:14 left before Austin College managed to trim it to 70-61 with 5:41 remaining.

That's the last time the 'Roos would get the deficit into single digits, however, and the Mountaineers would lead by as many as 16 points before a three from Quinten Tabor made it an 88-75 final.

Mercadel led all scorers with 25 points and added four steals, hitting 9-of-16 shots in the game. Hogan came off the bench to score 15 and Hill finished with 13. Holland added 10 points and six rebounds in the loss. 

Gumbs paced the Mountaineers with 23 points and Jones added 15, while Blake Kelley scored 12 points. Schreiner held a 44-30 edge on the glass and out-scored the 'Roos 30-12 at the free throw line in the game. 

Austin College will be looking to bounce back on Sunday when they host Trinity University with tipoff set for noon.

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