MARYVILLE, Tenn. – Josh Pittman (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) scored 12 of his team-high 22 points in the second half Guilford College’s 88-85 basketball win over Birmingham Southern College Saturday. The senior sank four of his season-high six three-pointers in the second half of the Quakers’ fourth straight win.
Guilford (9-2) matched a season-high with 12 three-pointers, which offset the long-distance shooting of the Panthers’ Larry Thomas and Kevin Kegarise. Thomas made six three-pointers, all in the first half, and scored 27 points for Birmingham Southern (6-3). Kegarise stroked five three-pointers and scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half to rally the Panthers from an 11-point deficit.
Jake Hopkins’ (Kernersville, N.C./East Forsyth) jumper gave the Quakers a 69-58 lead with 11 minutes left in regulation, but a 13-3 Birmingham Southern run over the next four-and-a-half minutes made it a one-point game. The Panthers’ comeback stalled as Pittman and McCarthy hit clutch three-pointers to keep Guilford in front. A Kegarise triple with 10 seconds left brought Birmingham Southern to within 88-85 and Guilford missed a pair of one-and-one free throws in the final seven seconds. Thomas’ three-pointer at the buzzer missed the mark and preserved the Quakers’ seventh win in eight games.
All five Guilford starters scored in double figures, including rookie center Zeb Richardson (West Jefferson, N.C./Ashe County), who tallied a career-high 17 points and collected nine rebounds and three blocks. Hopkins added 11 points and nine boards. Senior Travis Tracy scored 10 points and had three steals. The Quakers shot better than 50 percent from the floor (51.6) for the second time this year and set season-bests for three-pointers (12), assists (24), blocks (6) and steals (10) in a game.
Zac Richards added 17 points for Birmingham Southern, 13 in the second half, plus six assists. Thomas, who scored 20 first-half points, led the Panthers with eight rebounds and four steals. He also had five assists.
Guilford wraps up a four-game road swing Wednesday (1/2) at Methodist University in a 5:00 p.m. game.
Birmingham Southern vs Guilford
12/29/12 3:00 p.m. at Maryville, Tenn. – Baird Gym
At Maryville, Tenn. – Baird Gym
GUILFORD – 88
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN – 85
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN (6-3): Larry Thomas 9-19 3-4 27; Zac Richards 7-9 3-6 17; Kevin Kegarise 6-12 0-0 17; Brendan Marschner 3-7 0-0 8; Jason Holland 2-3 0-0 5; Blaise White 0-3 4-4 4; Ross Welch 1-3 0-0 3; Schylar Freeman 1-4 0-0 2; Griffin Schamp 1-3 0-0 2; John Warrick 0-0 0-0 0; Colin Henry 0-2 0-0 0; Morgan Lauten 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-65 10-14 85.
GUILFORD (9-2): PITTMAN, Josh 7-18 2-2 22; McCARTHY, Matt 7-13 1-2 20; RICHARDSON, Zeb 8-9 1-2 17; HOPKINS, Jake 4-7 3-3 11; TRACY, Travis 3-7 3-4 10; FREEMAN, Will 2-3 2-2 6; HINTON, Jarred 1-2 0-0 2; STEVENSON, Ben 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 32-62 12-15 88.
Birmingham Southern........... 41 44 - 85 Guilford...................... 50 38 - 88
3-point goals–Birmingham Southern 15-32 (Larry Thomas 6-10; Kevin Kegarise 5-10; Brendan Marschner 2-5; Jason Holland 1-1; Ross Welch 1-3; Blaise White 0-2; Zac Richards 0-1), Guilford 12-21 (PITTMAN, Josh 6-9; McCARTHY, Matt 5-7; TRACY, Travis 1-4; STEVENSON, Ben 0-1).
Fouled out–Birmingham Southern-Colin Henry, Guilford-PITTMAN, Josh.
Rebounds–Birmingham Southern 32 (Larry Thomas 8), Guilford 38 (RICHARDSON, Zeb 9; HOPKINS, Jake 9).
Assists–Birmingham Southern 22 (Blaise White 6; Zac Richards 6), Guilford 24 (McCARTHY, Matt 6).
Total fouls–Birmingham Southern 20, Guilford 14.
Technical fouls–Birmingham Southern-None, Guilford-None.
Attendance-367
Nonconference game