BEREA, Ky. -- Will Crumly had another big night with 30 points and nine rebounds and the Covenant men's basketball team held off a late rally from host Berea to take a 75-69 USA South road win on Wednesday night.
Covenant (7-6, 6-0 USA South) moves above the .500 mark for the season and remains the lone unbeaten team in conference play at 6-0.
Crumly, the reigning USA South Player of the Week, posted his third 30-plus point game in the last four contests with his effort on Wednesday. The sophomore shot 12-of-22 from the field for his 30 points to go along with nine rebounds.
Covenant got off to a fast start in the first half, thanks to Crumly's play. Crumly scored 20 points in the opening half as the Scots took a 35-20 lead into halftime. Covenant grabbed a 12-1 lead in the first seven-plus minutes of the contest, capped by a Daevon Platt 3-pointer at the 12:10 mark. The lead grew as big as 16 for Covenant in the period.
The Scots took their largest lead of the night at 20 (44-24) after a Mitchell Hollis layup with 17:03 left. Covenant led by double digits for the majority of the second half, until Berea made a run late in the period.
The host Mountaineers got within six with 32 seconds remaining, but free throws from James Mitchell and Noah Oetjen in the final 30 seconds sealed the victory.
Hollis and Mitchell had 11 points apiece, as Hollis also collected five rebounds and three assists. Bailey Spragg added 10 points, eight assists, and four steals with Platt chipping in nine points off the bench. Covenant shot 39.4 percent (26-of-66) from the field with nine 3-pointers and a 14-of-20 effort at the foul line.
Berea (7-7, 2-5 USA South) received 15 points from Isaac Caudill and a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds from Torell Carter. The Mountaineers shot 43.6 percent (24-of-55) and went 14-of-21 at the free throw line, but turned the ball over 19 times resulting in 17 Covenant points.
UP NEXT
Covenant will host USA South foe Methodist on Friday. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. inside Barnes PE Center.
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