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Wednesday,
February 11, 2004 PC’S COLLINS LEADS BLUE HOSE TO 62-59 VICTORY CLINTON,
S.C. — Presbyterian College (14-8, 5-4 SAC) sophomore
center Johann
Collins (Raleigh, NC) scored a layup with :04 seconds
remaining in the game to lead the Blue Hose to a 62-59 win
over visiting Bulldogs of Wingate University (6-16, 2-7 SAC)
in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action
Wednesday night at the Ross E. Templeton Center. Collins’ layup broke a
59-59 tie in the game. Collins went on to hit one-of-two free
throws seconds later to give PC the 62-59 victory. On the
night, Collins led PC with a double-double of 15 points and 11
rebounds. The first half was closely
contested with five ties in the first 10 minutes. Wingate
broke a 15-15 tie with a 11-5 run highlighted by nine points
from senior forward Titus Miller (Spartanburg, SC) to pull ahead 26-20 with 6:10 left in
the half. PC responded with a 11-3 run over the next five
minutes to retake the lead at 31-29 on a jumper in the lane by
freshman center Brian
Epperly (Roanoke, Va.) at the 1:18 mark. A
three-pointer by freshman guard Melvin Smith (Roanoke, Va.) gave PC a
34-29 lead at intermission. PC shot 52.0% from the
field in the first stanza while holding Wingate to only 37.9%.
Miller led the Bulldogs with 11 first half points while
Epperly paced the Blue Hose with nine points prior to
halftime. In the second half, the
lead seesawed back and forth between the two teams for the
first 10 minutes as neither team as able to get their offense
going. Wingate took a 48-44 lead at the 9:45 mark on a
three-pointer by freshman guard Ernest Mangum (New London, NC) only to see PC come right back with a
11-2 run to take a 53-48 lead with 7:17 left in the game.
Wingate would fight back as the game would find itself tied
two more times in the final minutes. Wingate’s junior forward Brad
Hinson’s (Monroe, NC) free throw at the 2:51 mark would
give the Bulldogs their final lead at 59-57. PC would chip
away at the lead as Collins and sophomore forward Michael Drum (Rural Hall, NC) would
each hit a free throw over the next minute which tied the game
at 59-59 with :41 seconds remaining. Collins would score the
last three points of the game to seal the 62-59 victory for
the Blue Hose. Joining Collins for scoring
honors for the Blue Hose (14-8, 5-4 SAC) was Epperly and
sophomore forward Tray
Ballenger (Wellford, SC) who each scored 11 points. Wingate (6-16, 2-7 SAC) was
led by Miller’s game-high 21 points to go along with seven
boards and four assists while senior guard Keenan Dunn
(Charlotte, NC) added 15 points and six boards. |