MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - Berry Men's Basketball (4-9 overall, 1-1 SAA) overcame a tough Rhodes squad (7-6 overall, 1-1 SAA) to snap there three game losing streak and earn their first conference win, 74-68.
Braxton Benham's 26-points and
Blake Campbell's 19 found the Vikings their first conference win over Rhodes College in front of their home fans.
With four tied scores and eight lead changes, this match-up was a tough one for forty minutes. A scoreless first two minutes was broken by a
Jordan Krueger layup to end the scoring droughts. Traded buckets left the score at a low 6-6 in the first five minutes of play but leading scorer,
Braxton Benham chimed in a three to add some excitement (9-6). Benham was followed up by a quick five points from the Lynx squad that turned into a 9-0 run across two minutes. Now down by six, freshman stand-out
Isaac Martin stepped up to cut it to two with a made deep shot as he also drew a foul and converted the four-point play.
Blake Campbell tied the game at 19 just under eight minutes remaining in the first half and
Riley Costas secured a Vikings lead seconds later (21-19). This lead was held for 99% of the remaining minutes in the first half, the only time it turned was after a quick jumper from the Lynx leading scorer with a minute to go, but Benham's late steal and made shot in the final 16 seconds gave the Vikings the slight advantage heading to halftime (30-29).
In the second half, the first four points were a pair of free-throws from each team. Berry tried to build on their lead with fast break points but were only able to get it to as much as five under the seventeen minute mark (40-35). Rhodes refused to go away and continued to answer Berry baskets with points of their own until a five-point turnaround from Benham left the Lynx down nine (53-44).
With the Lynx still gnawing at the lead, they would find some success and cut the game to a possession with seven to go (56-54). Here came the freshman, Martin again with a huge triple that sparked a 10-0 run for the Vikings that ended with a monster dunk from Campbell who flew above the rim.
Up twelve with four minutes left, Berry went into protection of their lead as the game became more physical. Neither team wanting to drop this SAA match-up they battled it out until the game was unattainable for the Lynx in the final minute as they sprung into foul action in hopes of more possessions.
The Vikings squad's 40% free-throw percentage from the first half increased to 63.16% as they sunk 12 total in the second half, including ones to secure the game and the win.
Catch the Vikings back in action in the Cage on Sunday against Hendrix College, another SAA foe at 3:00 PM ET.
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