HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. - Stillman College survived a its final non-conference road test before conference play Friday night to secure its first win of the season, 77-76, at Rust College.
On Thursday, Stillman hit a pair of buzzer-beaters to force overtime and double overtime. Friday, Rust attempted to do the same, inbounding the ball under the Tigers' basket with 0.7 seconds left and trailing, 77-74. Keshon Tabb caught a long pass from Davonte Craven and drained a basket in the left corner at the buzzer, but his toe was on the line, avoiding a 3-pointer that would have sent the game to overtime.
Tuscaloosa native Marcus Bates Jr led the Tigers with his first 20-point game of his Stillman career. He also grabbed 15 rebounds for his first double-double.
Tomias Brand followed with 13 points.
Jamar Jackson and
Khalil Johnson each scored nine points. Jackson scored the game-winning point, hitting 1-of-2 free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining in the game.
Stillman (1-2) trailed by as many as 15 points, 53-38, early in the second half. The only first-half lead was 3-0 and 5-2 after opening baskets by Jackson and Bailey Tally.
After falling behind by 15, Brand hit back-to-back 3-pointers to pull the deficit to single digits. Rust kept it an 8- to 10-point game over the next few minutes. A Bates layup with 10:15 to play sparked an 8-0 Tigers run. Jackson followed with a 3, and then a Bates 3 gave Stillman a 65-63 lead, its first lead since the opening minute of the game.
Rust briefly regained the lead, 68-67, on a pair of Craven free throws with 6:49 remaining. After two scoreless minutes, Bates grabbed a defensive rebound and scored on the other end to regain the Tigers' lead, 69-68 and spark a 6-9 run to lead, 73-68. Stillman helped secure its win in the final 30 seconds with a Bates layup, Johnson free throw and Jackson's final free throw.
Stillman out-rebounded Rust, 43-31, including 17 offensive rebounds that led to 14 points. Stillman's bench contributed 24 points. The Tigers shot 45% from the floor, but struggled at the free throw line, shooting 59% (13-of-22).
The 2022-2023 Stillman season comes to Tuscaloosa on Tuesday, Nov. 15 as the Tigers host No. 11 Faulkner University in Birthright Alumni Hall for the first home game and Southern States Athletic Conference opener. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. after the women's game.
