'Roos Dominate Centenary for Double-Digit Win

SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College men's basketball team got off to a hot start and never looked back, taking the lead for good just seven minutes into the game and ending the night with an 89-74 victory over Centenary College on Friday in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 8-16 overall and 3-12 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

Jackson Rennie scored a game-high 31 points to lead the 'Roos, his second 30-point game of the season, and scored 16 of those in the game's first seven minutes to help put Austin College on top. Rennie's triple with 12:54 left in the first half made it 20-19, and Austin College never reliquished the lead after that. Ocie Berry, Kidus Getenet, and Jamien June all added triples to help Austin College grow its lead to 36-29 with five and a half before the break, and the 'Roos closed the opening half strong on their way to a 50-39 lead heading into the locker room.

Austin College hit 52.9% from the field in the first half, including 8-of-16 from long range, and the momentum continued in the early minutes of the second as the lead swelled to 57-39. Getenet opened the half with a three, Rennie knocked down two free throws, and Ethan Pearce scored on a dish from Jordan Hudgins to give the 'Roos their largest lead of the game. Centenary battled back to cut it to 63-55, and would later trim the deficit to 80-74, but that's as close as things would get down the stretch as Austin College outscored the Gents 9-0 in the final two and a half minutes of action. Rennie made 9-of-21 field goals, including 6-of-15 from the arc, and added a 7-of-7 performance from the free throw line on his way to 31 points. It was Rennie's third straight game with at least six made threes, and his fourth in the last five games.

June finished with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep, and added five assists, while Getenet posted a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Aidan Schnurr came off the bench to contribute 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Quentin Beverly led Centenary with 21 points, and Nicholas Addison added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Gents.