College Men’s Basketball Final – Guilford 82, Muskingum 78 (OT)

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior Marcus Curry scored seven of his game-high 23 points in overtime in Guilford College’s 82-78 men’s basketball win over Muskingum University Sunday in the fourth and final game of the Guilford College Classic.

The University of Lynchburg held off Greensboro College, 82-74, earlier Sunday to match Guilford’s 2-0 record in the two-day classic.

Curry’s traditional three-point play with 51 seconds left broke the game’s seventh (and final) tie and gave the Quakers (8-4) a 76-75 edge. He later rebounded a Carson Carter miss with 10 seconds left in overtime and made two free throws to extend Guilford’s lead before Mitch Clark’s three-pointer made it 80-78 game with 2.6 seconds left. The Muskies (5-7) fouled Curry again and the senior iced the win with two more free throws.

Guilford scored the game’s first 17 points, but Muskingum got back to within 33-21 at the half. A quick 7-0 run to start the second half made it a 33-28 game. The visitors gradually chipped away at Guilford’s lead until a Clark three-pointer with 6:51 left in regulation tied the score for the first time since the opening tip.

Muskingum took a 65-62 lead on a Carter layup with 3:21 left in regulation and went ahead 68-66 on three Jalen Paige free throws with 31.7 seconds remaining. Guilford’s Jalen Gore answered with a baseline runner with 14 ticks left to tie the game at 68. Clark’s potential game-winner was strong off the rim as time expired and the teams played an additional five minutes.

Curry made seven-of-11 field goals and two-of-four three-pointers in his team-leading fourth 20-point game of the season. He also had seven rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes off the bench. Gore finished with a career-high 17 points, 13 in the second half. Carson Long netted 14 points and collected a game-high eight rebounds. Fellow forward Kyler Gregory chipped in 11 points and four boards.

Paige and Devon Peart led the Muskies’ comeback with 16 points apiece. Paige, who made three three-pointers and added six assists, scored all of his points in the second half. Peart, who had a team-high six rebounds and game-best five steals, netted 12 second-half points. Clark finished with 13 points and four boards in 19 foul-plagued minutes and Cameron Miller added 10 points off the bench.

Coach Tom Palombo’s Quakers host Old Dominion Athletic Conference-rival Randolph College Wednesday (1/2) at 7:30 p.m.

In Sunday’s opener, Lynchburg (11-1) led for all but the game’s first 50 seconds to claim its fourth-straight win. The Hornets shot a blistering 58.8 percent from the floor in the first half led by as many as 25 points with 18:36 left in regulation. Greensboro got back to within 69-64 with 5:23 left in the game with a 15-0 run over a six-minute, 17-second stretch. Jesse Case’s three-pointer with 4:22 left ended the Hornets’ drought. Greensboro got within six three times in the final 3:21, but no closer.

Lynchburg’s Austin Wrighten scored a game-high 20 points and added nine rebounds. Teammate T.C. Thacker made all six shots from the floor en route to 17 points. Connor Schroeder added 16 points and a game-best 11 rebounds. Chance Greene netted 12 points off the bench. Lynchburg held a 48-35 rebounding edge and forced 17 turnovers.

Carmoni Marks had 12 second-half points and paced five Greensboro students in double-figure scoring with 19. Michael Phifer, who scored 11 second-half points, finished with 18 points and five rebounds. Kevon Meertins tallied 11 points off the bench. Keyford Langley and Keyshawn Dorsey both scored 10 points. Dorsey led the team with nine rebounds and three steals. The Pride outscored Lynchburg, 19-2, in transition.

Photos by Andy Gore
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