MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The UT Southern men's basketball team finished the Chick-fil-A Classic on a winning note Saturday afternoon, overcoming a late deficit to defeat Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College 66-56 inside Crisp Arena on the campus of Bethel University.
The victory improved the Firehawks to 3-2 on the season and provided a strong response after facing nationally ranked Ave Maria in Friday's tournament opener.
Saturday's contest was tightly contested from the opening tip. Neither team led by more than four points during the first half as the Firehawks and Pomeroys traded the lead four times. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods carried a slim 27-26 advantage into halftime after closing the period on a small run.
UT Southern emerged from the locker room with renewed energy. Luke Lentz connected from beyond the arc to open the second-half scoring before Antonio Cochran followed with a three-pointer of his own, helping the Firehawks regain the lead.
The Firehawks gradually built a six-point advantage behind timely shooting and defensive pressure, but the Pomeroys answered with a late rally. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods reclaimed a 56-54 lead with just over three minutes remaining, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
UT Southern responded immediately.
Cochran buried a go-ahead three-pointer with 3:12 remaining to put the Firehawks back in front. Moments later, Jack Harper knocked down a jumper to extend the lead before Cochran connected on another clutch three-pointer in the final two minutes.
The Firehawks then slammed the door shut defensively, holding Saint Mary-of-the-Woods scoreless over the final 3:33 and finishing the game on a decisive 12-0 run.
Cochran led the way with a double-double, recording 14 points and 10 rebounds while knocking down four three-pointers. Isaiah Claybrooks added 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Lentz contributed 11 points.
Harper finished with eight points, and Kalik Sharpe provided a major spark off the bench with eight points and five assists. Daniel Nwauzu chipped in six points, while Savion Daniels added three points and five rebounds.
UT Southern connected on 11 three-pointers and shot 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Firehawks limited Saint Mary-of-the-Woods to 31.8 percent shooting from the field and just 17.4 percent from three-point range while forcing 16 turnovers.
The Firehawks now turn their attention to the start of Southern States Athletic Conference play. UT Southern opens its SSAC schedule Thursday night with a road trip to Montgomery, Alabama, where it will take on Faulkner University in "The Gump" in a key early-season conference showdown.
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