With 22 points from Berto Dryden and 21 plus eight assists from TJ Cox, Covenant College won the USA South men’s basketball tournament championship Saturday in Rocky Mount, N.C., with a 101-92 overtime victory over fourth-seeded LaGrange.
That gave the second-seeded Scots (18-9) the program’s first appearance in an NCAA Division III national tournament. All the Covenant starters scored in double figures, with Bailey Spragg contributing 14 points, Patjo Twagirayezu tallying 12 and Connor Sears adding 10 plus eight rebounds.
Cox was the tournament most valuable player, and Dryden and Spragg joined him on the all-tournament team. For LaGrange (20-8), the 2014 and 2015 tournament champion, Mark Wagner had 26 points, eight rebounds and five steals and fellow all-tournament selection Alex Bonner had 22 points and 13 rebounds. The Scots scored the last nine points of the first half for a 46-36 lead, led 61-42 with 13:26 to go in regulation and 69-51 on a Cox 3 with 6:55 left but were outscored 34-14 before a Spragg 3 gave them an 86-85 lead in overtime. Then from 88-88, Twagirayezu scored five consecutive points and Dryden added three for a 96-88 lead. Maryville College won the women’s tournament with a 60-48 defeat Piedmont.
– Tennessee Wesleyan ended ninth-seeded Montreat’s upset run through the Appalachian Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament Saturday in Kingsport, Tenn. The third-seeded Lady Bulldogs won 72-58 in the championship game as Melanie Barker scored 16 points, Madison Walkup and Jara Gasper bucketed 13 and 11 and Hunter Simpson added 10 and matched Barker with seven rebounds and four assists. Sarah McKinnon blocked four shots. TWC (17-9) outscored Montreat (14-18) 20-8 in the final quarter. Union College beat Bluefield 71-57 in the men’s final.
– The second-seeded Sewanee men’s basketball team beat Centre 68-62 Saturday night and plays today for the Southern Athletic Association tournament championship in Birmingham, Ala.