Sports

Brooks’ last-second three propels Lindsey Wilson Men’s Basketball to double-overtime win at Martin Methodist

PULASKI, Tenn. — Reece Brooks hit a three with 0.7 seconds left in tonight’s second overtime to lift the No. 19-ranked Lindsey Wilson men’s basketball team to a 92-89 win over Martin Methodist (Tenn.) at the Curry Christian Life Center.

Martin Methodist’s Felix Hayes three-quarter court heave bounded off the backboard as time expired to give the Blue Raiders their fourth straight win and a second win over the RedHawks this season.

Hayes finished with a game-high 33 points, scoring all 11 RedHawk points in the second overtime and 16 points in the two overtimes.

Brooks proved to be just as clutch, scoring Lindsey Wilson’s final nine points of the game — on two old-fashion three-point plays and the game-winner. Brooks finished with a season-high 28 points.

Brooks’ decisive shot was one of many big-time shots in the game.

Trailing 64-61 with 7.4 seconds remaining in regulation, Brooks hit a 3-pointer from a similar spot to tie the game and ultimately send the Blue Raiders to their first overtime of the season.

Lindsey Wilson looked to be in control in the first overtime, leading by four with the basketball in the final half-minute of the period. But a Blue Raider turnover gave the RedHawks new life.

Following a foul, Darrin Jenkins hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 74-72. Payton Cundiff pushed the lead back to four with 19 seconds left, but another LWC miscue — fouling Hayes on a 3-point attempt — allowed the RedHawks to close within 76-75.

Brooks extended the lead back to three (78-75) with 11.1 seconds left only to have Hayes bury a corner three to send the game to a second overtime.

Martin Methodist did not trail in the second overtime until the final second.

During regulation, both teams enjoyed significant runs.

Martin Methodist scored the game’s first eight points and built a 19-8 lead midway through the half. Lindsey Wilson responded with a 22-6 run over the final 7-1/2 minutes of the half to take a 35-29 lead into the locker room. The Blue Raiders improve to 10-0 this season when leading at the half.

Lindsey Wilson grabbed its biggest lead of the game at 51-42 with just over nine minutes left in regulation. Over the next four minutes, the RedHawks used a 17-2 run to take a 59-53 lead.

Lindsey Wilson chipped away at the deficit ultimately tying the game with the Brooks three to send the game into overtime.

While Brooks proved to be the hero in the final stages — three other Blue Raiders also contributed double-digit scoring to help Lindsey Wilson improve to 12-3 on the season. Avery Edwards — making his season debut — scored 20 points, Matthew Eldridge added 13, and Kameron Mack chipped in 10.

Lindsey Wilson finished the game shooting 46.2 percent (30-of-65) while holding the RedHawks to 36.8 percent (28-of-76) — well below their season average of 44.5 percent. As solid as the defense proved to be tonight for the Blue Raiders, rebounding was a struggle.

Martin Methodist out-rebounded Lindsey Wilson 51-37, including grabbing 24 offensive rebounds — scoring 20 second-chance points. While the RedHawks enjoyed an advantage on the boards, Lindsey Wilson countered with 21 points off 20 Martin Methodist turnovers and a 33-12 scoring advantage off the bench.

Lindsey Wilson returns to action at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, Jan. 4, as the Blue Raiders return to Mid-South Conference action on the road at Life (Ga.) in Marietta, Georgia.

 

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Lindsey Wilson Volleyball takes MSC Tournament title with 3-0 win over Thomas More

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Top-seeded Lindsey Wilson volleyball captured its fifth straight Mid-South Conference Tournament title tonight with a 3-0 win over second-seeded Thomas More (Ky.) at Bowling Green Arena.

With the win, the Blue Raiders (29-5) earn the Mid-South Conference’s automatic bid into the NAIA National Tournament.

A balanced attack — with four Blue Raiders tallying at least seven kills — helped Lindsey Wilson outhit the Saints (24-8) .265 to .137 in the match to win 25-11, 25-20, 27-25.

MSC Player of the Year Kasia Niderla led the way for the Blue Raiders with 12 kills while Alexis Smith chipped in 10. Elly Burke finished with eight while Jelena Lazovic added seven without and error for a team-high .350 hitting percentage.

Niderla added four blocks to control the net while Lauren Larzelere posted a match-high 17 digs.

Lindsey Wilson dominated the opening set despite a fast start from the Saints.

Thomas More won four of the first five points, but it was all Lindsey Wilson from there. The Blue Raiders scored four straight and seven of the next eight to take an 8-5 lead. A pair of service aces — one from Niderla and the other from Abby Grubbs — fueled the Lindsey Wilson run.

Leading 10-8, the Blue Raiders ran off six straight points to take a 16-8 lead. Peyton Johnston provided a service ace and Burke added two kills during the spurt. After Thomas More closed to within 17-11, the Blue Raiders closed out the set winning the final eight points for the 25-11 first-set win. Niderla recorded three kills during the run while Lazovic chipped in two.

The Blue Raiders finished the set hitting .364 while the Saints committed six hitting errors for a .036 attack.

Lindsey Wilson once again had to overcome a slow start to take the second set 25-20.

Niderla and Smith led the way in the set with a combined 11 of the Blue Raiders’ 15 kills in the set. Camryn Rich assisted on all 15 kills in the set and ended with a match-high 31 assists.

Leading 16-15, Lindsey Wilson ran off three straight points to give the Blue Raiders some breathing room. The Saints managed to climb within three points on three different occasions but could get no closer as the Blue Raiders took the set 25-20 to take a 2-0 lead.

The third set proved to be the most competitive.

The Blue Raiders looked to be cruising to the win, leading 20-16. The Saints turned the table and went on a 4-0 run to tie the set at 20-20. The two teams exchanged points with Thomas More ultimately taking a 23-22 lead.

Following a Lindsey Wilson timeout, back-to-back Saints errors handed the Blue Raiders match point at 24-23. The Saints fought off that match point and one more before Burke slammed her eighth kill into the hardwood giving the Blue Raiders the 27-25 third-set win and the tournament title.

Lindsey Wilson is expected to advance directly to the final site of the NAIA Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa. The tournament field is scheduled to be announced on Monday, Nov. 18.

LINK: http://www.lindseyathletics.com/article/12160.php

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. — No. 7-ranked Lindsey Wilson football captured the program’s third divisional title with a 24-21 win today over host and No. 8 Cumberlands (Ky.) at James H Taylor II Stadium.

The Blue Raiders (10-0, 7-0 in the Mid-South Conference Bluegrass Division) wrap up the program’s second perfect regular season with the win and earns an automatic bid into the NAIA Football Championship Series which begins next Saturday.

J.T. Lyon stopped Josiah Robbins short of the first down on a botched field goal attempt to preserve the three-point win. The Patriots (9-1, 6-1) rushed their field goal unit onto the field inside the final two minutes trailing by three. With no timeouts, a low snap forced Robbins to try to run for the first down, but the Blue Raider defense stopped him three yards short of the marker to secure the title.

Lindsey Wilson adds the 2019 crown to its 2014 and 2017 titles. LWC will host a playoff game next Saturday at Blue Raider Stadium. Pairings are scheduled to be announced on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT.

The Blue Raiders took advantage of three Cumberlands’ turnovers in the game, scoring 14 points off the Patriots miscues. The Lindsey Wilson defense owns 31 takeaways this season. The Blue Raiders lead the NAIA with a +23 turnover margin.

Cumberlands struck first on its opening drive as Robbins sprinted 60 yards for a touchdown to cap a 6-play, 78-yard drive for the 7-0 lead.

The Blue Raiders responded on a short field following the first turnover of the game.

After the Patriot defense stopped Lindsey Wilson’s ensuing drive, a punt bounced off a Cumberlands’ player and T.J. James was there to gobble up the loose ball on the Patriot 28-yard line.

Getting a second chance, the Blue Raiders made the Patriots pay for the mistake as Cameron Dukes hit Joshua Lewis on a five-yard slant on third-and-goal for a touchdown. The third-down conversion was one of 10 conversions on 18 third-down plays during the game for the Blue Raiders. Lewis finished with a career-high eight catches for 83 yards and the one touchdown.

Cumberlands responded on its next drive, marching 75 yards on 12 plays to take a 14-7 lead. Robbins connected with Darius Young on a six-yard touchdown toss to push the Patriots back in front. Robbins finished the game 20-of-27 for 228 passing yards and two touchdowns. He added 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

The Blue Raiders nearly matched the Cumberlands drive on its ensuing possession with a 12-play, 74-yard scoring drive. Dukes capped the drive with a four-yard plunge behind the Blue Raider offensive line to tie the game. Dukes ended the game 19-of-28 for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

Lindsey Wilson took the lead for good on its next possession.

James Todd aided in the momentum swing with his team-leading seventh interception of the year. Todd — who broke the single-season record last week — returned the Robbins errant pass to the Cumberlands’ 40-yard line.

Despite the good field position, the Lindsey Wilson offense looked to be stalled after an incomplete pass, a one-yard run, and a 15-yard penalty. But on third-and-24, Dukes stepped up in the pocket and found Terrill Cole Jr all alone streaking up the right boundary for a 54-yard touchdown strike and a 21-14 lead.

The touchdown toss is Dukes’ 32nd of the season, four of which have gone to Cole.

The Blue Raiders had a chance to add to its lead on its last drive of the second quarter and the first drive of the third quarter, but uncharacteristic mistakes kept the lead at seven.

A drop pass that had a chance to go for a touchdown in the second quarter and a fumble — just the team’s second of the year — in the third quarter that ended a 16-play, 75-yard drive at the Cumberlands’ three-yard line aided in the Patriots remaining within striking distance.

Both defenses came up big in the second half.

Lindsey Wilson managed just a field goal and Cumberlands a touchdown after the break.

Jared Dougherty extended the Lindsey Wilson lead to 10 with a 32-yard field goal with just under five minutes left in regulation. The make is his 10th of the season — setting a new single-season record.

Cumberlands responded with its most efficient drive of the game. The Patriots marched 79 yards on seven plays in just under two minutes to climb within 24-21.

The Blue Raiders had a chance to ice the game on its ensuing drive, but the Patriot defense held on fourth-and-four from its own 39-yard line.

Cumberlands — full of momentum — needed just two plays to reach just outside the redzone.

The Lindsey Wilson defense made sure the Patriots did not reach the redzone to secure the divisional championship.

Following a seven-yard completion to set up second-and-three from the LWC 22-yard line, the Blue Raiders brought the pressure forcing a pair of incompletions. With the play clock dwindling, the Patriots tried to tie the game but were denied.

James led the Blue Raider defense with seven tackles while Mark Pruitt and Luke Bowman added six stops each.

Lindsey Wilson finds out on Sunday who will be coming to Columbia for the NAIA FCS. Kickoff for next Saturday’s game will be announced on Monday.

LINK: http://www.lindseyathletics.com/article/12156.php