COLUMBIA, S.C. - Two late free throws from Jalen Brinson put CIU men's basketball up 89-88 over Montreat (N.C.) with two seconds remaining, as the Rams would ultimately hold on to defeat the Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon. The win is critical because it vaults CIU past Montreat in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) standings as both teams now sit at 7-5 in the conference, but the Rams currently own the tie-breaker. The win should move CIU into the top five of the AAC, as the Rams hold an 8-7 overall record.
The Cavaliers' energy put CIU on their heels in the early going of the contest as they trailed 28-15 just under the ten-minute mark. The Rams would get a small offensive burst as CIU scored 12 points in the first half's last 3:48, but the home team still trailed 42-36 at the intermission.
CIU opened the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers from Darrian Oates and Skyler McKinney to tie the game at 43-43. The hot-hand Oates was the theme of the second half as the Rams turned to the senior who led CIU to their largest advantage of the game at 75-69 at the 6:10 mark. However, Montreat hung around and then grasped an 89-88 lead over CIU with 39 seconds remaining in regulation. Each team coughed up the ball in the game's waning moments, but the rock found its way into Brinson's hand who was fouled with just two ticks left. Brinson's two free throws sank with the Cavalier's hopes as the Rams seized the 89-88 win.
Oates led the Rams with a season-high of 27 points as the North Carolina native drilled seven triples shooting 70% from deep. Oates' fellow senior McKinney has been solid as of late as he totaled 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting. The Rams bigs played a vital role in the win, with DiAnthony Heathcock tallying 16 points and Christian Howard notching 12. Junior Bryce Causey crashed the glass hard all afternoon, pulling down ten rebounds.
The game resembled a slugfest at times with both teams combining for 35 total fouls. The turning point in the contest was the second half, however, as the Rams went 8-of-14 (57%) from beyond the arc in the game's final 20 minutes.
What Coach Tony Stockman is saying: "I was pleased with how we responded in the second half. Montreat plays an up-tempo style, so it was great to see our guys stay poised. I am happy that Darrian was able to get going today; he has proven at times over the last four years to be one of the best scorers in this league."
Up Next: The Rams will enjoy some rest as their next matchup is a 4 PM tip at Bryan (Tenn.) on Saturday, Jan. 14.
