CLEVELAND, Ga. (Jan. 9, 2020) – After Bryan College drained a last second 3-pointer to send the game into overtime, the Truett McConnell University men's basketball team came up short against the Lions (112-108) inside the Benjamin F. Brady Arena on Saturday evening. Last time they met, on Thursday evening, the Bears also lost (99-93) after possessing a lead at the half. TMU fell to 4-9, 1-6 AAC on the season, while the Lions improved to 7-3, 4-2 AAC.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The visiting Lions came out hot putting up 13 points in the first three minutes of the game (4-13), which featured three made 3-pointers. Bryan got out front by as much as 13 (6-19) but Xavier Latore drained a 3-pointer of his own to spark a 12-2 scoring run, which put TMU right back into the game (21-21), with 10 minutes to go before the half. Two Ty Briscoe free throws prompted a strong 6-0 scoring run for TMU to close out the half, which gave them a six-point cushion at halftime (46-40).
 
The Bears went on to lead for the majority of the second half and earned a lead as big as eight, but the final five minutes of regulation was the tightest race of the evening. With 20 seconds to go, Briscoe went 2-for-2 once again from behind the free throw line to give the Bears a three-point lead (93-90), but Bryan's Amauri Young knocked down a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer to force the game into overtime (93-93).
 
While overtime continued to be a nail biter, another Bryan 3-pointer put the Lions out front (100-103) with 1:56 to go and Bryan proved to gain the momentum as they pushed to lead by as much as six. TMU was ultimately unable to close as the Lions clinched their season sweep over the Bears.
 
LEADERS
Five Bears recorded double figures, including Briscoe's career high of 34 points, which led all scorers on the night. Briscoe was also credited a career high of nine assists, which is the most recorded by any Bear this season. Enocka Franky and Latore followed with 17 points apiece. Marlon Allen recorded a double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds, while also leading with three steals and three blocks. Freshman EJ Smith scored 12 points. Allen and Smith added four assists apiece, while freshman Bosko Norman added three. Briscoe, Latore and Smith each had two steals.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will host Tennessee Wesleyan University on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 7:00 p.m., inside the Benjamin F. Brady Arena before hitting the road for Union College on Thursday, Jan. 14.