SEWANEE, TENNESSEE - Southwestern University Men's Basketball brought the energy on Sunday afternoon, picking up their first road conference victory at Sewanee, 71-67. The Pirates improve to 10-10 overall and 4-5 in SAA play. Southwestern holds the same conference record as Sewanee, but move into sole possession of fourth place in the league after sweeping the two-game series with the Pirates. 

The Pirates beat the Tigers to loose balls and constantly applied the pressure defensively, forcing 20 turnovers and winning the points off turnover battle, 26-9. The victory ties the 2022-23 Pirate win total, which was the last team to win double-digit games. 

Southwestern usually win close games in comeback fashion, but built a ten point lead in the second half before seeing it erase to a tie game with three minutes to play. Junior Zach Gomez stepped up to silence the gym with a clutch three, along with tough stops down the stretch to seal the game. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Southwestern came out slow against Centre College on Friday, but nearly came back to win. The Pirates desperately needed to avoid a slow start on the road in a big conference seeding swing game. 
• The Pirates started senior Shobby Enakpene, senior Luke Hatcher, junior Luke Mills, sophomore Aedan Lewis, and Gomez.
• Defense led the Pirates quick start on Sunday, allowing only ten points in the first ten minutes. 
• Back-to-back triples from freshman Sawyer Batz and Hatcher helped build a 28-22 lead. 
• The Tigers found the free throw line late to pull within one point at halftime, 32-31. 
• Southwestern's big test was the start of the second half, which has been a struggle this conference season. 
• The Pirates answered the bell with a 14-5 run out of the break. 
• Sewanee struggled to defend Lewis for the second straight meeting, dominating the paint and extending Southwestern's lead to 53-45. 
• Mills halted a Tiger run with back-to-back buckets in the paint, leading 59-52. 
• The Tigers never led, but tied the game at 65 with three minutes to play. 
• Gomez crushed the air in the gym with a difficult three off the dribble. Gomez and Enakpene have both knocked down pivotal clutch shots this season. 
• Multiple stops down the stretch, along with Enakpene and Lewis going three for four from the line sealed the victory. 

GAME NOTES

• The Pirates are now 6-2 in games decided by five or less points this season. 
• Gomez struggled shooting today, but remained confident knocking down the biggest shot of the game. 
• Lewis led the Pirates with 21 points and eight rebounds. The sophomore owned the Tigers this season with 38 points and 13 rebounds in two meetings. 
• Enakpene totaled 16 points, posting his 15th game with at least 15 points this season after only averaging eight points last season. 
• Mills contributed a pivotal 11 points on seven boards. Hatcher added nine points on six boards. 
• The Pirates showed improvements at the line, going 14-25. However, the biggest stat was Pirates ability to win the turnover battle 20-11. 

UP NEXT 
Southwestern returns home next weekend, hosting Millsaps College on Friday and Rhodes College on Sunday.