KINGSPORT, Tenn. - A Jalen Brinson 3-pointer with 50 seconds remaining would sink Bryan College in Thurday's Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Men's Basketball Tournament quarterfinals as the No. 3 seeded Rams advanced past the No. 6 seeded Lions 72-68. The matchup was a rematch of last season's AAC Tournament Championship game, which had the same result as Thursday's contest. The win puts CIU in the AAC semifinals for the third time in program history.
The Lions would lead for the entirety of the quarterfinal's first half. However, CIU got within one of the Lions in the game's first twenty minutes, 25-24, on a Christian Howard free throw with 5:30 left before the break. Howard would again trim the advantage to a single point a few moments later on a layup (28-27), but CIU trailed 31-28 at halftime.
The Rams took their first lead of the second half after Brinson was fouled on a 3-pointer, and the graduate student sank all three free throws (36-34). The lead would exchange hands over the next several minutes as DiAnthony Heathcock hit a clutch three at the 5:20 mark to put the Rams up 59-57. As the minutes ticked by, CIU found themselves up just one (67-66) with less than a minute left when Brinson sealed the game with his dagger triple. The Rams would make a defensive stand on the Lion's final possession and hold on for the victory.
Heathcock scored 21 points on the evening to lead the Rams while grabbing eight rebounds and knocking down four 3-pointers. Darrian Oates and Brinson were CIU's other two players in double figures as Oates posted 15 and Brinson chipped in ten. Howard and Bryce Causey had mirror outings, with both players recording nine points and seven rebounds.
What Coach Tony Stockman is saying: "When you're trying to defend a tournament title, you're going to have a target on your back. Every game is going to be a battle this week, but we are looking forward to the challenge."
Up Next: The Rams face Pikeville (Ky.) tomorrow, Friday, Mar. 1, in the AAC Tournament semifinals at 4 p.m. EST in Kingsport.
