LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- A barrage of 3-pointers in the second half lifted visiting Maryville to a 76-64 victory over the Covenant men's basketball team on Friday night in USA South action inside Barnes PE Center.
The loss was the fourth straight for Covenant (7-7, 3-4 USA South) and snapped a three-game win streak over Maryville in the all-time series.
Maryville (6-1, 6-1 USA South) hit seven 3-pointers in the second half to turn a close game at the half into a wide margin midway through the second half. Maryville finished the night shooting 63.2 percent (12-of-19) from 3-point land and 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the field.
The teams battled through the first half. Promise Igbanu scored 15 of his career-high 16 points in the opening half to keep Covenant within range. The Scots used a 9-0 run, capped by a Will Crumly bucket, to take a 13-11 lead with 11:11 left in the first half. That was the only lead Covenant had all night.
Marvyille led by as many as eight in the first half and took a 34-30 lead into halftime.
In the second half, a Crumly 3-pointer with 17:49 left brought Covenant within 40-38. Maryville used a 7-0 run to take a nine-point edge and back-to-back 3-pointers from JR Sanders and Jekobe Coleman stretched the Maryville to 60-44 with 10:38 left.
Unlike the last two meetings inside Barnes PE Center, Covenant was unable to mount a second-half rally.
Igbanu had a career-high 16 points to lead the Scots while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Crumly ended with 15 points. Chris Barnette and Walker Mathis had seven points apiece, with Barnette doling out four assists.
Covenant shot 45.5 percent (25-of-55) for the game with nine 3-pointers.
Maryville was led by Nicholas Clifton's double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds with three steals. Felix Uadiale also had 13 points in the win, while Kevin Chong (11) and Myles Rasnick (10) reached double-figure scoring.
UP NEXT
Covenant and Marvyille will complete their season series on Saturday at 2 p.m. on Lookout Mountain.
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