LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Facing an undersized Greensboro team, the frontcourt duo of Caleb Haynes and Will Crumly combined for 43 points and Bailey Spragg added 20 as the Covenant men's basketball team defeated the visiting Pride, 92-80, on Friday night inside Barnes PE Center.
The win is the sixth in a row for Covenant (14-8, 9-5 USA South), the longest winning streak for the program in the NCAA era.
Crumly was lights out in the first half as he scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting with three 3-pointers en route to a career-high 22 points on the night. Haynes had 11 points in the first half and finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds to record a double-double, while Spragg registered 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists on the night.
Even with the play of those three, Covenant had to fight off a pesky Greensboro (9-13, 4-9 USA South) team. The Scots led by as many 15 points in the first half, after a Crumly tip-in made it 40-25, but Greensboro got within 10 at halftime. Covenant shot 52.8 percent in the first half and Greensboro was nearly as good as the Pride connected at a 50 percent clip.
In the second half, Covenant used a 16-5 run, capped by a Berto Dryden 3-pointer, to go ahead 75-56 with 9:41 remaining. However, Greensboro would not go away as the Pride rattled off 14 straight points to slice the lead to only five at 75-70 with 6:45 left.
Spragg answered with a 3-pointer and Haynes converted a layup, assisted by Spragg, to give the Scots a double-digit lead again at 80-70 with 4:11 remaining. Greensboro would only get as close as seven the rest of the way.
Covenant shot 54.5 percent (36-of-66) from the field with 10 3-pointers on the night. Nick Palmer had 12 points off the bench, as Covenant's reserve players outscored Greensboro's 34-7. Dryden chipped in seven points and six rebounds, James Mitchell hit two 3-pointers and finished with six points. Jared Jauch led all players with nine assists and Covenant dished out 22 as a team.
Joseph Gatling led Greensboro with 21 points and Cornelius Johnson had 17 points and seven rebounds. Demetrius Tilley added 14 and Darus Maddox 12 for the Pride, who shot 43.3 percent (29-of-67) from the field and 17-of-23 at the foul line.
UP NEXT
Covenant hosts Ferrum on Saturday at 4 p.m. Senior Day activities will take place a few minutes before tip-off.
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