Junior guard Matt Nestheide posted his second 20+ point performance in three days to lead the Centre College men's basketball team to an 80-68 win over Sewanee-the University of the South, Sunday, Dec. 7, in Sewanee, Tenn.
The Colonels, which have now won six straight games, improve to 10-3 overall and 2-1 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), while Sewanee falls to 2-8 overall and 1-2 in league action.
The first half was close early, with both teams battling for control. The score was tied 15-15 midway through the first period and then again at the 3:15 mark (25-25). Centre out scored the Tigers 14-7 to close the half and take a seven-point lead (39-32) into the break.
Sewanee cut the lead to three points (41-38) early in the second half, only to see the Colonels go on a 14-5 run to push the lead to 55-43 with just under 11 minutes to play.
The Tigers did not quit answering with a 14-5 run of their own to cut the lead to three points (58-55) with 6:54 left on the clock, but back came Centre. The Colonels scored 15 of the game's next 19 points to extend the lead to 14 points (73-59). The Tigers did not have an answer and ended the game with a 12-point defeat.
Nestheide finished with a game and season-high 27 points on six of eight shooting, including five of seven from the three-point line and 10 of 13 from the charity stripe. The junior guard finished only two points shy of tying his career-high of 29, which he set last year. He scored 26 points Friday night in a win over Oglethorpe.
Freshman Danny Noll posted his highest point total in his young career, scoring 17 points off the bench. Noll made six of his seven shots, including four of his five-three-point attempts. Sophomore forward T.C. Thomason added 15 points and four rebounds in the win.
Sewanee's Joey Garcia led the Tigers attack with 26 points on eight of 13 shooting. Garcia also posted five rebounds and three steals, while Ben Pursell was the only other Sewanee player in double figures with 12 points.
Centre will return to action Friday, Jan. 12, when it hosts Austin College. The SCAC game will be played as part of a men's/women's doubleheader and will begin at 8 p.m. in Danville, Ky.
Newspaper Box Score Centre College vs The University of the South 01/07/07 1:00pm at Sewanee, TN At Sewanee, TN CENTRE COLLEGE 80, THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH 68 CENTRE COLLEGE (10-3, 2-1) Matt Nestheide 6-8 10-13 27; Danny Noll 6-7 1-4 17; T.C. Thomason 6-9 2-2 15; Matt Jacobson 2-7 5-8 9; Thomas Britt 1-2 6-7 8; John Patterson 2-5 0-2 4; Beau Braden 0-0 0-0 0; Ross Herman 0-0 0-0 0; Ryan Crowdis 0-2 0-0 0; Rob Matthews 0-0 0-0 0; Kris Bentley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-41 24-36 80. THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH (2-8, 1-2) Joey Garcia 8-13 7-7 26; Ben Pursell 3-6 6-10 12; Spencer Rowland 4-15 0-0 9; Chris Eddy 3-9 0-0 6; Casey Berry 2-2 0-0 6; Gary Grizzle 2-4 1-2 5; Charles Davis 1-3 0-0 2; James Pryor 1-1 0-0 2; Bradley Pierson 0-0 0-0 0; Kenton Coleman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-53 14-19 68. Centre College................ 39 41 - 80 The University of the South... 32 36 - 68 3-point goals-Centre College 10-22 (Matt Nestheide 5-7; Danny Noll 4-5; T.C. Thomason 1-3; Ryan Crowdis 0-2; Kris Bentley 0-1; Thomas Britt 0-1; Matt Jacobson 0-3), The University of the South 6-15 (Joey Garcia 3-5; Casey Berry 2-2; Spencer Rowland 1-7; Gary Grizzle 0-1). Fouled out--Centre College-None, The University of the South-Gary Grizzle. Rebounds-Centre College 30 (Matt Jacobson 8), The University of the South 24 (Ben Pursell 6). Assists-Centre College 17 (Matt Nestheide 3; Thomas Britt 3), The University of the South 10 (Chris Eddy 4). Total fouls-Centre College 15, The University of the South 19. A-141