MOBILE, Ala. — The Spring Hill College men's basketball team mounted a strong second-half effort Saturday afternoon but could not erase an early deficit in an 82-74 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss to Allen Yellow Jackets at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center.
Spring Hill (4-23, 4-19 SIAC) trailed by eight at halftime before matching Allen point-for-point over the final 20 minutes, but the Yellow Jackets' efficiency at the free-throw line down the stretch proved decisive.
Rocco Lamuno led the Badgers with 20 points and nine rebounds, while
Amaan Sanni added 15 points off the bench.
Collin Coates contributed nine points on three three-pointers, and
Alvin Cole chipped in nine points.
Rapid Recap:
Allen scored the game's first five points before Spring Hill settled in behind interior baskets from
Alvin Cole and
Rocco Lamuno. Lamuno converted a three-point play in transition to pull the Badgers within one at 10-9, and a three-pointer from Lamuno later tied the game at 12-12 midway through the half.
After
Collin Coates knocked down a three to cut the deficit to three, Allen responded with a sustained run fueled by second-chance points and transition finishes. Despite a late shot from beyond the arc by
Amaan Sanni and a fast-break layup from Lamuno, the Badgers entered the break trailing 37-29. The Badgers shot 35.5 percent in the opening half but went 4-of-10 from beyond the arc to stay within reach.
SHC opened the second half with renewed energy, trimming the deficit to five on a
Brian Harris three and later cutting it to 45-40 on a Cole triple. Back-to-back free throws from Cole and a layup by Lamuno brought the Badgers within three midway through the half.
A three-pointer from Coates made it 54-52, and Lamuno's jumper in the paint later pulled Spring Hill within 60-57. The Badgers continued to apply pressure, as Thompson and Sanni combined for key baskets to keep the margin in single digits.
Allen, however, capitalized at the foul line in the final minutes, converting 21 of 23 free throws in the second half to maintain separation. The Badgers matched the Yellow Jackets with 45 second-half points and shot 44.8 percent after the break, but Allen's late free-throw shooting sealed the 82-74 final.
Notes and Numbers:
- Spring Hill shot 40.0 percent from the field and 43.5 percent (10-of-23) from three-point range.
- The Badgers scored 25 bench points and 12 fast-break points.
- Allen shot 92.6 percent (25-of-27) from the free-throw line, including 21-of-23 in the second half.
Up Next:
The Badgers face Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, starting at 6 p.m. locally.
