SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — The
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's basketball team extended its impressive run with a 79-74 victory over visiting Brescia (Ky.) on Tuesday, February 4, at the Knoerle Center. The win marked the Pomeroys' 20th of the season and their fifth in a row.
Key Performances
SMWC was led by the dynamic duo of
Greg Jenkins and
Taeron Hogg. Jenkins posted a well-rounded stat line with 14 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Hogg contributed 15 points, including four 3-pointers, to help the Pomeroys maintain their lead throughout the game.
However, it was
Taray Howell who delivered a standout performance, scoring 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting, including four 3-pointers.
Shon Tupuola also played a pivotal role, shooting a perfect 7-of-7 from the field for 17 points, showcasing his efficiency and versatility.
The Pomeroys shot 41.8% from the field and made nine 3-pointers in the game, with significant contributions coming from the bench, including seven points and nine rebounds from
DaMeriz Merriweather. SMWC dominated the boards, out-rebounding Brescia 47-32, with a 17-8 edge in second-chance points.
With the score tied at 41 early in the second half, the game turned into a back-and-forth affair. A fast-paced sequence began when Damian Garcia of Brescia converted a jumper in the paint, briefly giving his team a 43-41 advantage. However, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods responded swiftly, with
Shon Tupuola and
Greg Jenkins helping push the lead to 46-41.
Brescia kept the pressure on with key contributions from Garcia and Nikola Ticic. Garcia's fastbreak layup cut the deficit to 54-53 with 12:13 remaining, and a clutch 3-pointer by Kabryen Tinson gave the visiting team their first lead of the half at 67-66 with just over four minutes left.
In the final minutes, however, it was Saint Mary-of-the-Woods who executed in the clutch. Hogg hit a critical 3-pointer with 2:24 remaining, putting the hosts up 73-71, before Jenkins and Tupuola sealed the win with free throws. Jenkins added an exclamation point with a key 3-pointer in the closing seconds to extend the lead to 79-74.
Tupuola and Jenkins led the way for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, finishing with key baskets late in the game, while Garcia's 20-point effort wasn't quite enough to push Brescia over the top.
Next Game
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College now looks ahead to a crucial showdown against IU-East in the River States Conference Game of the Week on Saturday, February 8, at 1 p.m. (ET) in Richmond, Ind. The game holds major implications for the regular-season conference championship race and the automatic bid to the 2025 NAIA National Tournament.
With a 20-3 record overall and 10-1 in conference play, the Pomeroys will be eager to build on their strong momentum as they head into one of the most important games of the season.
