March 7, 2008

JACKSON – Coming off a dominating performance at the SCAC Tournament a week ago that earned him Tournament MVP honors, senior forward Edrick Montgomery scored 20 of his game-high 28 points in the second half to lift regional-host Millsaps to an 80-72 win over Maryville College (Tenn.) in the First Round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

Ranked No. 19 by D3hoops.com and owners of the nation's third-longest winning streak at 17 games, Maryville (24-3) had advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tourney nine-straight years entering Friday night's game before getting its streak halted by the Majors.

It was the Scots' first loss since Dec. 29 to Averett University in the Piedmont Classic.

In front of a near capacity crowd in the Hangar Dome, junior guard Chad Songy sparked the Majors' crowd from the opening tip, knocking down a 3-pointer from the left wing that put Millsaps (26-3) up 3-0 before buckets from senior Rodney Rogan and junior Chris Sanders off a tip-in pushed the lead to 7-4 minutes in.

The teams traded baskets the final 15 minutes of the half and the lead switched 10 times before a breakaway layup from senior Allen Odum with 7 seconds left in the half off a Songy assist put Millsaps up 33-32 at the break.

After falling behind by a point, 36-35, off a Christopher Orr layup 1:30 into the second, the Majors retook the lead a basket later when Montgomery hit a jumper in the lane and would not trail the remaining 18:12 of regulation.

Maryville got to within three points on several occasions midway through the half and cut the lead down to just one, 48-47, off a pair of Alex Bowers free throws at the 10:34 mark until Millsaps strung together a 12-1 run, capped off by back-to-back 3s from senior guard Lorenzo Bailey.

Bailey hit only two shots all night in 10 attempts but none bigger than the two he hit around the 7-minute mark that gave the Majors their largest lead of the game at 12, 60-48, with 3:40 left in regulation.

From there, Millsaps used a pair of baskets from Montgomery down low and hit 7-of-10 free throws down the stretch to hold on for the 8-point victory and set a new school-record with 26 wins against only three losses.

Sanders, a workhorse on defense who rarely gets credit for his offensive play, turned in his best game in a Majors uniform this season, pouring in his second career double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting. Songy finished with a game-high seven assists and nine points, while Rogan added eight boards.

Maryville was led by Orr with 14 points on 6-of-9 aim, while Andrew Shumate and Eryk Watson added 12 points apiece and Ben Williamson contributed 10.

Millsaps advances to play No. 12 Mary Hardin-Baylor (26-3) Saturday night at 7 p.m. in the Second Round after the Crusaders rallied late to top Fontbonne University 65-62. The winner will advance to the "Sweet 16."