LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Senior Sam Bowman scored eight second half points and led the Covenant men's basketball team with 11 total points to lead the Scots to their sixth straight win with a 64-53 victory over visiting Berry on Thursday night.
Bowman finished 4-of-5 from the floor and just missed a double-double with nine rebounds, five of which came in the second half. T.J. Cox and Jon DeVries each added nine points.
The win for Covenant is its sixth in a row as the Scots move to 10-5 overall. Covenant had not won double digits games in a season since the 2005-06 team went 14-18 overall. Berry drops to 3-10 on the season.
The Scots used a huge 15-0 scoring run in the first half to seize control of the contest. Covenant trailed 16-12 after Berry's Jake Wright buried a jumper with 9:40 left in the period. Over the next six minutes, Covenant used pressure defense and timely baskets from DeVries, Damien Chaney, Colton McGriff, Bowman, and Bryant Engbers to take a 27-16 lead with 3:20 remaining. Covenant would go into the halftime break up 33-26.
Berry responded early in the second half to tie up the score at 38-38 on a Mac Howard jumper with just under 14 minutes left. Both teams would trade baskets over the next several minutes.
Covenant would take the lead for good on a free-throw from Rosbie Mutcherson that broke a 48-48 tie with 7:04 left. Cox all but ended any chance of a Berry comeback with a driving layup at the 2:49 mark that gave the Scots a 57-49 lead.
The Scots connected on 42.4 percent (25-59) from the field, but made 4-of-10 from 3-point land, 10-of-13 foul shots, and outrebounded Berry 44-33. Berry managed just 33.3 percent (18-54) shooting and 5-of-16 from 3-point territory.
Berry was led by Lee McCloud's 14 points, including 4-of-5 from downtown, while Jonathan Abrams added 13 points and four assists. Mac Whalen had a game-high five assists, while Lake Graham grabbed seven rebounds.
Covenant will look to keep its winning streak alive when they visit rival Maryville on Wednesday, January 16. Tip-time is slated for 8 p.m. The Scots return home on January 19 against Florida Christian at 3 p.m.
