HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss. - Stillman College men's basketball pulled even on the season with an 80-73 win at Rust College on Monday night, Nov. 13. It is the second non-conference road win in the last three days against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference teams, with Stillman lead all 80 minutes of action, after an 0-2 start to the season against Sun Conference teams.
Senior forward
Marcus Bates Jr led the Tigers for the second-straight game, scoring 20 points on 82% shooting (9-of-11) and adding 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double as a Stillman Tiger. Bates also had a double-double in Holly Springs last November, scoring 20 and adding 15 rebounds on Nov. 11, 2022.
Bates scored the first four points of the game, followed by a
Khalil Johnson 3-pointer to give Stillman a quick 7-0 lead.
Bailey Talley pushed Stillman's edge to 13 points, 21-8, midway through the first half with a fast-break layup. However, Rust responded with an 11-2 run that made it a four-point game, 23-19, with 4:51 left in the first half.
Jaylon Taylor scored to help stop the Bearcats' momentum, followed by a Talley layup. Stillman carried a 33-27 lead into halftime.
The Tigers pulled away late in the second half.
Justin Minter grabbed a defensive board and fed Talley for a fast-break dunk and a free throw. On the next possession, Taylor grabbed a board and dished it up court to Johnson for a fast-break dunk to stretch Stillman's lead to 18 points, 65-47. The biggest margin of the night was 20 points, 75-55, on an
Antonio Jones free throw with less than three minutes to play.
Stillman hit 4-of-6 free throws in the final 30 seconds while conceding baskets on the other end to Rust to close out the win.
Talley scored a season-high 18 points and had seven rebounds in the game, while Johnson finished with 18 points and four blocked shots.
Maurice Harvey added eight points, seven assists and six rebounds, while
Antonio Jones had five points, six assists and seven rebounds in 12 minutes of action.
Stillman shot 51.9% from the floor, while holding Rust to 36% shooting.
Four Bearcats scored in double figures for Rust: Christopher Hood (19), Xavier Evans (12), Jalin Thomas (11) and Khalil Brown (10).
Stillman (2-2) will open Southern States Athletic Conference play in Georgia later this week, traveling to Brewton-Parker College for a 6:30 p.m. CT tip on Thursday, Nov. 16 and then Middle Georgia State University on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT.
