December 30, 2006

LaGRANGE, Ga. -- After dropping three consecutive games to fall under the .500 mark for the first time of the season, Millsaps strung together back-to-back wins in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic hosted by LaGrange College, dropping the hosts 81-75 on Friday and Huntingdon College 68-60 on Saturday afternoon.

The weekend sweep improves the Majors to 4-5 on their 11-game road stretch, with games at Rhodes College on Jan. 6 and Rust College on Jan. 8 still to come.

Millsaps (6-5, 1-1 SCAC) benefited from three scorers in double figures on Friday night, including a season-high 25 points from Allen Odum. The junior guard from Walls, Miss., was 8-of-15 from the floor (2-of-5 from beyond the arc) and was also 7-of-9 from behind the stripe.

Fellow juniors Rodney Rogan (19) and Deonte Oscar (10) were the other Majors in double figures, while the team's leading scorer and rebounder Edrick Montgomery chipped in with nine points and a season/game-high 14 boards.

LaGrange (7-5) went into the locker room with a slight 41-37 lead, thanks in part to 62 percent shooting in the first half, 12 points from Antoine Maddox and eight points from red hot Demetris Render.

From the 11:49 mark in the first half until the 10:19 mark in the second half, the Panthers clung onto a tight lead.

But with 10:15 remaining in the game, Odum's 3-point basket put the Majors on top 57-54 and they never looked back. The lead built to as many as seven points before Millsaps closed out the 81-75 win.

Robby Lawrence recorded a game-high 26 points (19 in the second half) for the Panthers in the loss, while Maddox (17) and Render (13) each scored in double figures. Michael Patterson also chipped in with a team-high 11 boards and game high five dimes.

In the tournament closer for Millsaps on Saturday, the Majors knocked off Huntingdon College 68-60 to send the Hawks to their fifth straight loss of the season and a 1-9 overall mark.

Odum's jumper with 4:10 left on the clock in the first half put the Majors on top 24-22 and they never looked back from there.

Millsaps took a 31-28 lead into the locker room and built its lead to as many as 14 in the second half before closing out the 8-point win.

Millsaps was fueled by four scorers in double figures, with Rogan scoring a game and team-high 18 points. Odum (14), Lorenzo Bailey (12) and Chris Sanders (11) were the other Majors leading the way, while Sanders' 11 points and five steals were both season-highs.

Despite being out rebounded 33-23 and out shot 51-41 percent for the game, the Majors scored 26 points off 21 Hawk turnovers (14 steals) and committed a season-low seven of their own.

The Majors look to build on a two-game winning streak this weekend, traveling to conference opponent Rhodes College on Jan. 6 and non-conference opponent Rust College on Jan. 8. Saturday's game tips off at 5 p.m., with Monday's contest slated for 7 p.m.