Cougar News

Batesville, AR - With senior guard Tiron Peoples (Kevil, KY/Heath HS) scoring 17 of his game-high 23 points in the final 11:26 of the game, Mid-Continent University (13-10, 6-3 TSAC) surged from 67-61 behind to record a 78-72 TranSouth men's basketball victory at eighth-place Lyon College (5-17, 1-9 TSAC), Saturday, Feb. 6, in Batesville, Arkansas. The Cougars won their third consecutive TSAC game and earned their fourth win in its last five games. MCU has won seven of its eight games against Lyon since joining the TranSouth conference in 2006, including the last six.

     With MCU's victory at Lyon plus Cumberland University's (8-14; 5-4 TSAC) 71-49 loss at Freed-Hardeman University (16-7, 9-1 TSAC) and Trevecca Nazarene's 101-75 home victory over Blue Mountain Saturday afternoon, Mid-Continent and Trevecca Nazarene (15-7, 6-3 TSAC) remain tied for third place in the TSAC race behind co-leaders Union University (18-6, 9-1 TSAC) and Freed-Hardeman.

     In its only action next week, MCU meets sixth-place Martin Methodist College (15-7, 3-5 TSAC) for a TranSouth game, Thursday, Feb. 11, in Pulaski, Tennessee, at 7:00 p.m. (note the game time change).

   Peoples came off the bench and led the Cougars with 23 points, including 17 in the last 11:26 of the game and 12 points in the last four minutes, and also contributed 4 three-pointers, 7 of 8 free throws and 3 rebounds. Also off the bench, senior guard Donovan Willis (East Orange, NJ/East Orange HS/Essex CC, NJ) added 15 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and senior All-TSAC center Kenny Thomas (Orange, NJ/Orange HS/Essex CC, NJ) contributed 8 points and 4 rebounds. Senior point guard Aaron Pearson (Baton Rouge, LA/Southern Laboratory HS/Cabrillo HS, CA), the TSAC steals leader, finished with 4 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and one steal.

    Senior reserve guard David Gratton (Jacksonville, FL/Sandalwood HS/Palm Beach CC, FL) added 11 points, hit all 3 of his three-point field goal attempts, and grabbed 4 rebounds, and senior guard Joshua Woodley (Lake Worth, FL/Santaluces HS/Palm Beach CC, FL) added 9 points on 3 three-pointers and assisted twice. points.

    Lyon forward Slater Belew led the Scots with 23 points on 9 of 11 shots and 5 of 5 free throws, and guard Andy Lee totaled 12 points with 4 three-pointers and had 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Forward James Jackson made 8 of his 10 free throws and totaled 10 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and passed 2 assistst, and guard Brandon Cowart contributed 10 points, one three-pointer, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Forward Chad Glover added 6 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

    Lyon raced out to a 9-3 lead in the first four minutes, but MCU outscored Lyon, 13-4, over the next 4:30 and gained a 16-13 advantage and went ahead 18-14 at the 8:49 mark, its biggest lead of the first half. Lyon stormed back with an 11-2 run and led 25-20 with 6:27 remaining and still led 32-28 with 2:52 left. Mid-Continent outscored the Scots, 8-2, and led 36-34 at halftime after Gratton's third three-point field goal of the half. Gratton led MCU with 9 first-half points and Belew led Lyon with 10 points in the paint.

     Lyon began the second half on fire, outscoring MCU, 21-10, in the first seven minutes and taking its biggest lead of the game, 55-49, with 13:02 left to play. The Scots maintained a lead for the next 3:22, until MCU put together 9 consecutive points and tied the game at 55-55 with 9:40 remaining.

     The Scots rebuilt its lead to 67-61 with 5:48 left, but Peoples sparked MCU's game-winning run with 10 of MCU's final 17 points and totaled 17 points in the last 11:26 of the game and 23 or the game. Peoples gave MCU its first lead since halftime at 69-68 with 2 free throws with 3:13 left. Willis scored in the pain for a 71-68 lead, and Peoples gave MCU its widest margin, 74-68, with a three-pointer with 1:56 left to play. Peoples then added 4 free throws in the last 19 seconds to ice the game for the Cougars.

     MCU finished the game shooting .407 from the field (24-59), made 11 of 26 three-pointers and 19 of 30 free throws and committed just 10 turnovers. Both teams collected 36 rebounds, and MCU stole the ball 6 times. Lyon shot a fine .522 from the field (24-46), made 5 of 15 three-pointers and 19 of 36 free throws and committed 14 turnovers.