PULASKI, Tenn. – The UT Southern men's basketball team improved to 2-0 on the young season Saturday afternoon, defeating Reinhardt University 71-60 at the Curry Athletic Complex.
The Firehawks controlled the game from the opening tip and never trailed, building an 11-point halftime advantage before holding off several second-half pushes from the Eagles.
UT Southern set the tone defensively in the opening half, limiting Reinhardt to just 20 points on 27.3 percent shooting and only one made three-pointer. The Firehawks used a balanced offensive attack and dominant interior play to build a 31-20 lead at the break.
A three-pointer from Luke Lentz, another from Jack Harper, and strong work inside from Antonio Cochran helped fuel an early run that pushed the Firehawks into double figures. UT Southern continued to extend the advantage throughout the first half and carried momentum into the locker room.
Reinhardt battled back early in the second half, trimming the deficit to six points, but the Firehawks had an answer each time. Harper knocked down a pair of key three-pointers, while Isaiah Claybrooks, Daniel Nwauzu, and Lentz connected from beyond the arc during a decisive stretch that put UT Southern back in command.
The Eagles eventually cut the margin to four points midway through the second half, but the Firehawks responded with a game-changing run. Consecutive three-pointers from Claybrooks, Nwauzu, and Lentz helped spark a surge that pushed the lead back to double digits and eventually stretched the advantage to 20 points with just over three minutes remaining.
Lentz led all scorers with 20 points while knocking down four three-pointers and converting all six of his free-throw attempts. The Knoxville native has now scored 44 points through the Firehawks' first two games of the season.
Cochran delivered a dominant all-around performance, finishing with 17 points, 13 rebounds, four blocked shots, and three assists. The junior recorded his first double-double of the year and anchored a defensive effort that produced 11 team blocks.
Claybrooks added 12 points, four assists, and two three-pointers, while Harper finished with nine points, all from behind the arc. Nwauzu provided a significant spark off the bench with eight points and nine rebounds.
TJ Hollinger was a force defensively, recording four blocked shots while helping protect the paint throughout the afternoon.
As a team, the Firehawks shot 43.1 percent from the floor, 44.0 percent from three-point range, and 84.2 percent at the free-throw line. UT Southern knocked down 11 three-pointers, outrebounded Reinhardt 39-29, and held the Eagles to just 26.8 percent shooting from the field.
With the victory, head coach Andy Sharpe and the Firehawks move to 2-0 on the season. UT Southern will hit the road for the first time this year on Tuesday, Nov. 3, traveling to Dayton, Tennessee, to take on Bryan College.
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