March 12, 2008
Though the memory of the
"Mississippi Miracle" loss against football rival Trinity University
on Oct. 27, 2007, will forever be etched in the minds of Millsaps Majors
supporters all over
the country,
for
one
shining
moment
on Saturday
night in the Hangar Dome Chad Songy's fall-away 3-pointer with 2.3
seconds left in regulation erased the memory.
Trailing from the opening
tip until
the waning seconds to a hungry UMHB squad who was coming off its first
NCAA Tournament win in school history, Songy's
desperation three over the outstretched arm of a Crusader defender lifted regional-host
Millsaps to a 57-56 come-from-behind win and extended the dream season.
It was the Majors' only lead of the game.
Millsaps (27-3) will head to St. Louis on the campus of Washington
University for its next matchup, facing off with St. Mary's (Md.) out
of the Capital Athletic Conference at 6 p.m. Friday, March 14.
The winner will advance to play Sectional-host Wash U or Buena Vista
on Saturday at 7 p.m. for a trip to the Final Four in Salem, Va.
The Seahawks (19-11) enter Sectional play winning their last eight games,
including an upset win at No. 8 Guilford, 89-77, who was picked to advance
to Salem in the opening round followed by an 83-74 win over Widener in
the second round.
Tyson Lesesne (18.0
ppg),
Alex Irmer (13.0 ppg), Mike Smelkinson (13.0 ppg) and Calvin Wise (12.6
ppg) all score in double figures for the Seahawks, which average just
under 83 points per contest.
Millsaps defeated No. 19 Maryville (Tenn.),
80-72, and No. 12 Mary Hardin-Baylor, 57-56, at home to advance to the
Sectionals for the third time in school history and first since the 1994-95
season. They will be seeking their first-ever national championship.
SCAC POTY runner-up Edrick Montgomery (16.8 ppg), Rodney
Rogan (13.4 ppg) and Lorenzo Bailey (12.6
ppg) each
score
in double figures for Millsaps, which averages 78.4 points per game,
while the two junior starters, Chris Sanders (9.9 ppg) and Songy (8.6
ppg) are right on their heels.
The 14th-ranked Majors, who have won 12-straight games for a second
time this season, rank second in Division III in assist/turnover ratio
(1.49)
and
eighth
in
assists
per
game (17.6). They also have the nation's third-longest active streak
with a 3-pointer in 430 games.
