ATLANTA, GA | With the Morehouse students still on Winter Recess, The Morehouse Maroon Tigers triumphed over the first-place (SIAC-West) Miles Golden Bears in a thrilling contest at Frank L. Forbes Arena, winning 77-75 in overtime. The die-hard Maroon Tiger faithful watch Morehouse's resilience and execution, as they fought back from challenging moments against the formidable SIAC West leader.
First Half
The opening half was a tightly contested battle. Both teams demonstrated why they were among the top teams in their respective SIAC divisions, with sharp execution on both ends of the floor.
The Golden Bears came out strong, hitting early shots to establish a quick 5-0 lead. However, Morehouse responded quickly. Damion Mitchell provided the initial spark for the Tigers, driving the lane for a layup in transition after a Cedric Taylor III steal, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
From there, the teams traded baskets and defensive stops. Morehouse made its mark in the paint during this stretch, with Matthew Coffey contributing a key jumper and layup on consecutive possessions, aided by strong passing from Jaden Gray and Cedric Taylor III. This inside dominance helped Morehouse offset Miles' perimeter shooting, as the Golden Bears connected on five three-pointers in the first half.
Miles managed to pull ahead midway through the half, leveraging second-chance points and efficient ball movement. However, Morehouse's bench kept the game close, with Omar Rowe and JerMontae Hill providing crucial contributions. Rowe nailed a jumper and later added two free throws, while Hill showed his defensive prowess with two steals that resulted in fast-break opportunities.
As the half progressed, Morehouse began to control the tempo. Their aggressive defense forced eight first-half turnovers from Miles, leading to eight points off turnovers. They also capitalized on offensive rebounds, with seven in the half, translating to nine second-chance points. Mitchell was particularly effective, driving to the basket and finishing through contact to ignite the home crowd.
The Maroon Tigers' ability to stay patient and execute in the half-court offense was evident in their shot selection. Mitchell's mid-range jumper at the 14-minute mark tied the game at 10-10, and his layup a few minutes later gave Morehouse its first lead at 12-10. Miles, however, refused to go away.
In the final minutes of the half, Morehouse made a critical push. Josiah Lawson's tip-in narrowed the gap, and Mitchell followed up with a crafty layup to tie the game at 28. With under a minute remaining, Morehouse reclaimed the lead as Taylor III hit a free throw to put the Maroon Tigers ahead 32-30 going into halftime.
Second Half
With Morehouse entering the half holding a slim 32-30 lead and looking sought to capitalize on their momentum, Miles came out of the locker room with renewed energy, eager to reclaim the lead.
The Golden Bears struck first in the second half to tie the game at 32. A follow up with a quick basket gave Miles a two-point edge. Morehouse initially struggled to find their rhythm offensively, missing several early attempts. Matt Coffey and JerMontae Hill provided a defensive spark, securing rebounds and limiting Miles' opportunities in the paint.
The opening minutes of the half set the tone for a tight, seesaw battle. Miles extended their lead to six points at 39-33 after consecutive baskets. However, Morehouse quickly answered with their own run. Amahn Decker hit a key jumper, and Jaden Gray followed with a fast-break layup, trimming the deficit to two points. Damion Mitchell electrified the crowd with a thunderous dunk off a steal by Taylor III, tying the game at 39 and shifting the momentum back to the Tigers.
Morehouse began to control the tempo midway through the half, using a combination of defensive stops and timely offensive execution. Hill showcased his versatility, scoring in the paint and grabbing offensive rebounds, while Dre Watson hit a critical mid-range jumper to keep the Tigers within reach.
Miles refused to back down, leaning on their depth and three-point shooting to hit crucial shots, pushing the Golden Bears ahead 52-49 with under eight minutes remaining. The Maroon Tigers responded with an aggressive drive by Josiah Lawson, who finished through contact to spark a 7-2 Morehouse run. Lawson's layup and subsequent jumper gave Morehouse a 56-54 advantage, their first lead since early in the half.
As the clock ticked down, both teams increased their defensive intensity. The MaroonTigers forced a turnover with under three minutes remaining, leading to a critical fast-break dunk by Omar Rowe. Despite this momentum swing, Miles capitalized on free throws and tied the game at 62 with just over a minute to play. In a crucial possession, Mitchell missed a contested jumper, and Miles secured the rebound to set up a potential game-winning possession. However, Hill's tenacious defense forced a turnover, allowing Morehouse to hold the ball for the final shot. Sincere Key would come of the bench to hit the game-tying three-pointer, with under 10 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score. The Golden Bears would miss a potential game-winner with two-seconds to go, sending the game into overtime tied at 68-68.
Overtime
The overtime period between the Morehouse Maroon Tigers and Miles Golden Bears was a thrilling extension of an already intense contest. Tied at 68 at the end of regulation, the extra period demanded composure and execution under pressure. Morehouse rose to the challenge, fueled by their depth, clutch shooting, and defensive tenacity, ultimately prevailing 77-75.
Morehouse struck first in overtime, with Omar Rowe drilling a three-pointer on the opening possession. This early basket energized the Tigers and set the tone for the extra session. On the defensive end, the Tigers forced a miss from Miles' Alvin Miles, who had been a key offensive contributor for the Golden Bears throughout the game.
Damion Mitchell followed up with a driving layup in transition, extending Morehouse's lead to 73-68. Miles answered back with a strong drive and layup by Rylen Walker to trim the deficit to three. The Golden Bears' persistence kept the game close, as they converted on a free throw after a hard foul, making it 73-71 with three minutes to play.
Cedric Taylor III came up with a pivotal block on a layup attempt by the Golden Bears, igniting a Morehouse fast break. On the ensuing possession, Josiah Lawson was fouled while driving to the basket. Lawson hit one of two free throws, extending the Tigers' lead to 74-71.
Miles continued to battle byscoring a contested jumper to cut Morehouse's lead to one point. The Golden Bears' defense stiffened, forcing a turnover, but Miles failed to capitalize on their next possession as a three-point attempt rimmed out.
With under a minute to play and holding a 74-73 lead, Morehouse turned to Mitchell once again. The senior guard delivered, driving to the hoop and finishing through contact for a crucial and-one play. Mitchell converted the free throw, pushing the Tigers ahead 77-73 with 35 seconds left.
Miles wasn't finished yet. After a quick timeout, they executed a perfectly timed backdoor cut, leading to an uncontested layup to make it 77-75 with 20 seconds remaining. The Golden Bears then fouled Morehouse to stop the clock, but Morehouse missed both free throws, giving Miles one final opportunity to tie or win the game.
Miles advanced the ball quickly and to the top of the key, but the contested three-point attempt was off the mark, and Taylor III secured the rebound as the final buzzer sounded. The Morehouse bench erupted in celebration as they held on for a hard-fought 77-75 victory.
Leaders
Team Comparison
- Field Goals: Morehouse (29-60, 48%) vs. Miles (28-55, 51%)
- Three-Pointers: Morehouse (5-14, 36%) vs. Miles (7-20, 35%)
- Free Throws: Morehouse (14-24, 58%) vs. Miles (12-16, 75%)
- Rebounds: Morehouse (31 total, 8 offensive) vs. Miles (32 total, 5 offensive)
- Turnovers: Morehouse (10) vs. Miles (18)
The victory puts Morehouse over the .500 mark for the first time this season at 7-6 and raises their conference record to 5-1 (second place, SIAC East). The Maroon Tigers will next be in action on Wednesday, at Savannah State. Morehouse returns home next Saturday, January 11 at 1PM, to face Benedict. They will follow that game with a contest against Allen on Monday, January 13 at 7PM. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at
www.morehouseathletics.com.
