TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Stillman College avenged its season-opening loss at Oakwood University but crushing the Ambassadors 95-68 Thursday night at home in Birthright Alumni Hall.
Stillman opened the game shooting 63.6% in the first 10-plus minutes of action. That shooting cooled to 55% by halftime and 45% in the second half. The Tigers' largest improvement was 14-of-15 at the free throw line (93.3%). Stillman dished out 15 assists and only turned the ball over 15 times.
Khalil Johnson drained a 3-pointer on Stillman's first possession. While Oakwood evened the score twice in the first two minutes, Johnson sunk back-to-back 3s, followed by a
Jamar Jackson 3-pointer as part of an 11-0 run to give Stillman its first double-figure lead, 16-5.
The closest Oakwood got the rest of the night was six points, 24-18. Stillman responded with a 12-3 run to lead by 15 points. Stillman led 45-29 at the half.
Jackson pushed the Tigers' lead past 20 points, 56-35, with a jumper five minutes into the second half. A Marcus Bates layup and free throw pushed it to 30 points, 6-37 with 12 minutes left, followed by a steal and fastbreak layup by
Jalen Taylor.
Stillman flirted with a 40-point lead with 10 minutes left in the game, but missed a jumper, and Oakwood scored seven-straight and kept the margin in the 20s the rest of the game.
Tomias Brand came off the bench to lead Stillman with 21 points, including a dozen points in the second half. He threw down three dunks, while hitting three 3s.
Johnson scored 16 points. Bates finished with 11 points and nine rebounds and was joined by Dayvion Dennis with 11 points. Jackson scored 10.
Oakwood was led by Judelin Prophete and Nathan Alexander with 18 and 14 points, respectively.
Stillman (2-3, 0-1 SSAC) will return to Southern States Athletic Conference action on Saturday when it travels to Talladega College for a 1 p.m. game.