Skyhawks Snap Skid with Win Over UT Southern
WEST POINT, Ga. – The Point University men's basketball team snapped a four-game skid with a 102-93 conference win over the University of Tennessee Southern this afternoon at home. The Skyhawks are now 7-11 and 3-9 in the SSAC, while the Firehawks drop to 12-11 and 6-7.
The Firehawks took an early 8-5 lead to open the game, but a three-pointer from Cahlib Edwards tied things up just under 17 minutes in. Both teams traded baskets for the next seven minutes with Point holding a 25-23 lead. The Skyhawks then strung a 14-7 run together to push their lead to 39-30 with 4:27 left in the half. UT Southern used a 15-8 run before the half ended to trail 47-45 at the break.
Tanner Higgins got the scoring started for Point in the second half when he drained a three to push the lead to 50-45. Similar to the first half, each team traded baskets once again, with the Skyhawks holding a 58-53 lead with 14:29 left in the contest. The Skyhawks were able to keep the Firehawks at arm's reach for the remainder of the half, which allowed them to secure the 102-93 victory.
The 102 points are a season-high for the Skyhawks, breaking the original season-high 99 points scored back on Nov. 4th against Voorhees.
Point shot 56.1% from the field, 53.6% from three-point range, and 74.2% from the line.
The Skyhawks tallied 18 points off turnovers over the Firehawks seven.
Kenton Steele led Point in scoring with 24 points and rebounds with seven. He was 8 of 11 from the field and 6 of 7 at the line.
Edwards finished the contest with 21 points and tied for the team lead in three-pointers with three. Teammate Kaden Paul finished with 18 points while going 5 of 8 from the floor.
Both Robert Harris and Yuta Yamamoto each tallied 10 points apiece.
Point is back home on Monday, Feb. 2, when it hosts Blue Mountain Christian in another conference match-up at 7:30 p.m.