DEMOREST — Despite a dramatic comeback by the Piedmont men's basketball team, the Tigers of Sewanee left with an 85-83 victory in double OT Tuesday in Cave Arena.
TAYLOR MILLS was clutch from behind the arc connecting on a 3-pointer with less than five seconds to go in the game to force overtime but the Lions came up just short.
The Lions got behind early in the game as the Tigers took a 7-0 lead to start but Piedmont tied it on a jumper by TRAE GAINES with just under 16:00 to go in the first. Sewanee's Clay Born hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Tigers back in front with Sewanee taking its largest lead of the game at the 7:38 mark going ahead by 11 points.
Piedmont started reeling off 3-pointers to get back in the contest as PEYTON LUKEN, JUSTIN VALLEJO and DAVID OGLESBY hit from behind the arc over the next four minutes making it 30-27 Sewanee leading with 3:37 to play till the break.
The Tigers led it 36-30 at the break but the Lions came out hot cutting it to a 2 point lead in the early going of the second half. Sewanee stretched the lead out once again to 10 points with 9:43 to play in regulation but a 9-1 run put the Lions right back in contention down 54-52. A steal by KELLY ASSINESI with 4:24 to go led to a fastbreak bucket by the senior to tie it at 59.
Sewanee regained a five point lead with 52 seconds to go on a layup by Clay Born but TRAE GAINES answered with a layup on the opposite end just nine seconds later. Piedmont's defense forced Brody Stone to miss with 16 seconds to play setting up the Lions' offense for one last look.
Who better to kick it out to when you need three than TAYLOR MILLS who did what he does best, knocking down the tri-fecta with five seconds to play and forcing overtime. Mills is currently shooting 43% from behind the arc in his career with the Lions including going 2-for-2 Tuesday.
One overtime wasn't enough as half the points in the first OT period came from the free throw line with the two knotted at 76 after the extra five minutes of play. Mills opened the second overtime with a 3-pointer as part of a 5-1 run to start the period, but the Tigers closed it out on an 8-1 run with six points from the charity stripe.
Trae Gaines led Piedmont with 22 points overall while Justin Vallejo added 14 points with both Chase England and Taylor Mills scoring 13 points.
Turning Point
--The Tigers made the most of their opportunities at the charity stripe late in the game as their last six points in overtime came off free throws.
Standout Performances
--Taylor Mills was money late in the contest as he connected on the game-tying 3-pointer with less than 5 seconds on the clock and missed just one shot from the floor going 5-of-6 and 2-for-2 from behind the arc.
--Brody Stone led all scorers in the contest with 26 points as he went 9-of-14 at the free throw line.
Inside the Box Score
--Piedmont trailed by 10 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game reeling off a 9-1 run over the next two minutes to cut it to a two point game.
--The Lions' defense was stingy late in the game including forcing red-hot Brody Stone to miss with 16 seconds remaining to set up TAYLOR MILLS' game-tying shot.
News & Notes
--For the fifth time in the last seven meetings between these two the game was decided by three points or less.
Up Next
The Lions return to action at home on Friday taking on Huntingdon at 5:30 p.m. inside Cave Arena.
