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Top-ranked Shorter beats Lee in OT, extends streak to 21
By Matt Green
CLEVELAND, Tenn. – With two weeks of being the nation's No. 1-ranked team under their belts, the Shorter University Hawks have become accustomed to getting a team's best shot.
Shorter got Lee University's best shot on Saturday night, but the Hawks' best ended up being just a bit better.
Walter Hill scored 21 points, Dante Harvey had 14 and Kenny Leverette hit three big free throws in the final minute of overtime as top-ranked Shorter kept its unblemished record intact with an 80-77 victory over the 17th-ranked Flames at Paul Dana Walker Arena.
Barring any surprises, Shorter (21-0, 11-0 Southern States Athletic Conference) will enjoy a third straight week as the No. 1 team in the NAIA when the new poll comes out on Monday. The Hawks maintain their stronghold on first place in the SSAC East Division while dropping Lee to 14-5 overall and 8-4 in the league.
Anthony Banks and C.J. Davis had 13 points apiece for Shorter, which won in Cleveland for the first time since Qavotstoraj Waddell scored at the buzzer to upset the Flames in 2009.
This game had all of the drama of that matchup – and more. This time, it took an extra five minutes for the Hawks to finish off the Flames.
Shorter took its first lead in overtime on Eric Nix's fast break layup with 2:16 and never relinquished the advantage. Leverette made 1 of 2 from the line to put Shorter up 76-75 and Hill scored on a fall away jumper to make the score 78-75 with 59 seconds to go.
Lee's Steve Bennett scored the last two of his 16 points with 48 seconds left to cut Shorter's lead to one. Leverette missed a short attempt on Shorter's next possession, but with a chance to go ahead in the final seconds, Bennett threw the ball away and Leverette knocked down Shorter's two ensuing foul shots with three seconds left to seal the win.
Shorter entered the game as the nation's No. 2 3-point shooting team, but went just 2-for-16 from beyond the arc.
The Hawks countered their lack of 3-point accuracy by taking care of the basketball – Shorter turned the ball over just nine times – and grabbing 14 offensive rebounds. Shorter forced Lee into 18 turnovers and allowed the Flames only six free throw attempts.
Shorter pounced early and answered every time that Lee managed a run. The Hawks led by as much as 10 in the first half, taking a 23-13 lead on two free throws from Banks, and held a 39-36 edge at halftime.
Hill scored two straight baskets and Harvey knocked down a step back 3 from the right wing to put the Hawks up 69-64 with 3:48 left in regulation. Lee battled back to tie the game at 69 on a Bennett free throw with 35 seconds left, and Shorter was unable to get a shot off as time expired sending the game into overtime.
Lee leading scorer Ryan Westbrooks finished with 10 points before fouling out in overtime. Alex Wells led the Flames with 18 points and hit four of Lee's nine 3-pointers.
Nix had an excellent floor game for Shorter, finishing with six points, seven assists and only two turnovers. Leverette chipped in with seven points, tied for the team lead with eight rebounds and recorded a team-high three steals.
Hill looked every bit the SSAC's Player of the Year, going 9-for-16 from the floor. He scored 12 of his points after halftime, added seven rebounds and three assists and outdueled Westbrooks in a matchup between the league's No. 2 and No. 4 scorers.
The Hawks open a three-game week next week with a home date against Truett-McConnell at 8 pm on Monday night.
