In a game featuring eleven ties and eight lead changes, all in
the first half, the visiting Limestone College Saints managed to
squeeze out a ten point victory, 81-71, over Lees-McRae College
Monday night in Carolinas Virginia Athletic Conference action. The
Saints improve to 18-7, (13-5 CVAC) while the Bobcats drop to 5-20,
(4-14 CVAC).
From the opening tip off the teams traded baskets with neither
being able to pull away. Limestone established the largest lead of
four points, 15-11, with 13:16 remaining. The Bobcats would take
the lead just under a minute and a half later with a Henry Williams
field goal. The teams would trade the lead on their next
possessions, Lees-McRae's off of a Blake Carr three pointer to make
the score 19-17. Shaun Poppie would answer back with one of his
own from behind arc for the seventh lead change of the half and
8:41 still to play. A continual game of cat and mouse would ensue
over the next eight minutes, until Shaun Poppie would give the
Saints a three point lead, 35-32, with 0:45 to play. Aaron
Dugger's attempt to tie with four seconds to play rattled the rim
and found the hands of Poppie, who almost made back to back threes
as time expired with his Hail Mary attempt from behind center.
The Saints increased their lead to six with Terrell Smith making
a three point after drawing a foul on the first possession of the
second half. The Bobcats would cut their deficit to one on three
occasions, but the Saints maintained the lead throughout. Down
eight 57-49 with 11:42 to play, the Bobcats continued to claw back,
drawing to within two, 60-58, with 8:34 to play. The Bobcats sent
the Saints to the charity stripe on their next four possessions,
allowing the Saints to increase a two point lead into an eight
point lead going 6 for 8 from the line. The Saints would build off
of the Bobcats mistakes to lead by no less than five for the rest
of the way.
Smith scored a game high 21 points for the Saints while Poppie
was good for 19 and a game high 4 assists. John Prioleau and Andre
Coleman contributed 15 and 13 points respectively. Smith and
Poppie also pulled down a game high seven boards each.
Williams, (pictured top left), led the Bobcats with 17 points, a
team high six rebounds, and shared the game high in assists with
Poppie, picking up four. Dugger added 12 points and five boards
while Pete Dunbar and Stephen Haymer each drained ten points.
The Bobcats will head to Erskine Thursday evening before
returning to Williams Gymnasium Saturday to host Coker College on
Senior Day, wrapping up their regular season.
