LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. -- Covenant men's basketball got 25 points and 19 boards from Pierce Smith and 20 on 4-of-6 from downtown from Jake Stephens to pull away from Piedmont, 94-80, at Barnes PE Center on Saturday evening.

The 19 rebounds for Smith were a career-high, as he dominated the glass the entirety of the game. Stephens got hot and never cooled, going 7-of-12 from the field with some big threes.

The first half was controlled early by Piedmont (8-9, 0-4 CCS), who led by five at the 16:36 mark. However, eight consecutive points from Logan Patterson helped Covenant (5-11, 2-3 CCS) go back up by three.

Noah Pence added to the early advantage by draining two straight triples, and then Stephens made his mark, scoring eleven at the end of the half to extend Covenant's lead to 10 right before halftime.

The Lions came back strongly after halftime, however, and were able to tie the game with 15:23 remaining. 

However, the Scots roared back, running off 11 unanswered points. Pence, Stephens, Patterson, Derrius Teagle and Korbin Long all scored a basket in that stretch.

Covenant did not let up after that, as Smith was too much for Piedmont to handle late in the half, as the junior big man scored 10 in the final 5:15 to close it out.

Fisher Darden and Israel Hall led the Lions with 16 points apiece.

UP NEXT 

The Scots will play in front of a packed house at Barnes PE Center against rival Maryville for the final time at home as CCS rivals.

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