Box Score

Methodist MUM 15-13

Maryville (TN) MARYM 21-7

Methodist MUM

15-13

Final

Feb. 23, 2019

Maryville (TN) MARYM

21-7

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Methodist MUM	26	41	67
Maryville (TN) MARYM	41	38	79

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 2/23/2019 7:31:00 PM | Ja'Shawn Steward-Johnson

Methodist falls 1 game shy of NCAA Tourney

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. Methodist's fantastic season came to a close in the USA South Conference championship game Saturday afternoon in a 79-67, neutral-site loss to Maryville (Tenn.) College, which earned the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III national tournament.

Taking a 15-point deficit into halftime, Methodist managed to rally back and bring the score within two points, but were unable to complete the comeback.

Despite the disappointing finish Saturday for Methodist, a 15-13 overall record and a five-game winning streak to clinch the trip to the conference championship must be considered a tremendous success for a Monarch squad that was predicted to finish last in the East Division in the USA South annual preseason coaches' poll.

Dante Burden and Kaymon Mitchell were named to the USA South's All-Tournament Team for their performances in postseason play.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Maryville def. Methodist, 79-67
Records: Methodist 15-13, Maryville 21-7
Event: Championship, USA South 2019 Men's Basketball Tournament
Location: Barnes PE Center; Lookout Mountain, Ga.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Halfway through the first half, with the Scots holding a slim 16-15 advantage, Maryville took command of the game with a 15-4 run, including a 8-0 run that blew the game wide open.
Down nine with seven minutes left to play, the Monarchs activated their patented second-half rally with a 7-0 run to make it a two-point game.
However, over the next four minutes after J'Quan Deal's tip-in made it a 59-57 game, the Scots outscored Methodist 16-6 to win the conference tournament. The dagger was Nick Clifton scoring seven straight points for Maryville, including two points off of his offensive rebound and then a long-range bomb on the next Scots' possession to give Maryville a 12-point lead under two minutes to play.
Previously, the Monarchs used another 7-0 run to cut a 11-point deficit to a 54-50 score. After the Scots countered with a mini 5-0 run, Kevin McLaughlin Jr. connected from downtown that kick-started the next 7-0 Monarch run.
Hoppa's three early in the second half gave the Scots their largest lead of the game, a 17-point, 48-31 lead but minutes later, a Sam Mingledoff three and a Mitchell layup had the Monarchs back in the game, cutting the lead to under ten points at 52-43.
Five minutes into the game, Kaleb Estes' three-pointer broke a 9-9 tie and Maryville would never relinquish the lead from that point.

STAT FACTS

Methodist shot 15 of 26 (58 percent) from the field in the second half after going 10-of-33 (30.3 percent) in the first half. However, with the Monarchs only connecting on three-of-16 shots from behind the arc, it was not enough to offset Maryville shooting 27-of-59 (43 percent) from the field, in addition to the seven shots made from downtown.
While the Monarchs had a 34-28 advantage in points in the paint and a 13-10 advantage in second chance points, the Scots outscored the Monarchs 21-11 in points off turnovers.
Kaymon Mitchell led the Monarchs with 19 points on six-of-ten shooting and eight boards. He also made seven of his eight free throw attempts.
Garren Dearman had 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Dante Burden had 13 points, four rebounds, and two blocks but his second-half effectiveness was sapped due to him getting whistled for his fourth foul with nine minutes left in the game.
McLaughlin Jr. (nine points) and Malik Manley (six) combined for 15 of the Monarchs' 18 bench points.
Emier Bowman led Maryville with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-11 shooting.
Hoppa had 13 points and nine boards and Calvin Songster had ten points and five assists.