WISE – Four Cavaliers scored in double-figures Saturday afternoon but it would not be enough as Coker University edged UVA Wise in a four-point, 81-77, victory over the Cavs inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center.
UVA Wise (5-11, 1-9 SAC) held a nine-point advantage midway through the second half but the Cobras managed to chip away at the Cavs lead to even the game at 63 apiece with 7:19 to go. Coker took the lead on a three-point shot and did not trail again as the Cobras outlasted the UVA Wise. Sophomore Cameron Whiteside led the way for the Cavalier men with a double-double of 21 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, marking his fourth double-double performance of the campaign.
Coker (4-10, 3-7 SAC) pulled ahead by six, 13-7, with 16:34 on the clock in the first half before the Cavs climbed from behind to knot the game at 13-13 with 14:17 to play. The two teams traded buckets as back-to-back three's from redshirt freshman Joseph Keenan tied the contest once more, 20-20, a little over two minutes later.
A 10-1 run for the Cobras gave them a 30-21 lead with 8:16 left in the half. Coker gained its largest advantage of the night with a little over five minutes to go in the opening frame, 39-26, but UVA Wise was able to cut the margin to just two points with less than two minutes to go. A pair of threes by Whiteside and redshirt sophomore Briggs Parris put the Cavs on top, taking a 43-41 lead into the break.
UVA Wise finished the first frame shooting 44.4 percent (12-for-27) from the floor, 50 percent (7-for-14) from behind the arc, and 70.6 percent (12-for-17) from the charity stripe. Parris had a team-high 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting, 2-for-3 from downtown, while Keenan followed with nine points and Whiteside netted eight points with a team-high six boards.
A four-point lead for the Cavs to start the second half dwindled as the Cobras tied the game, 45-45, with a little under 17 minutes to go. An 8-2 run for UVA Wise gave the Cavs a nine-point advantage, 63-54, with 9:14 on the clock as Parris knocked down a pair of free throws.
Coker managed to come from behind once more to knot the game at 63-63 with 7:19 on the clock before taking the lead shortly after on a shot from downtown. UVA Wise was able to get within five points with less than thirty seconds to play but the Cobras would hang on to notch the win.
The Cavs were aided by 12 second chance points and 16 points in the paint in the closing frame. UVA Wise outrebounded Coker in the second half 28-19 led by Whiteside who posted 10 boards alongside 13 points. Freshman Izeah Parker tallied eight points, four boards, and two blocks in the final half.
Parris followed Whiteside with 16 points while Parker recorded a season-high 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting and seven rebounds on the night. Sheffey added 10 points and a team-high three assists in the loss.
Keenan finished with a season-high nine points on a career-high three made field goals from downtown. Redshirt junior Yesid Mosquera-Perea collected a career-high 10 rebounds and netted eight points with two assists and a block.
The Cavs shot 38.3 percent (23-for-60) from the floor, 31.3 percent (10-for-32) from three-point range, and 63.6 percent (21-for-33) from the foul line. UVA Wise won the rebounding battle 48-35 while the Cobras finished with 16 assists to the Cavs nine.
Head coach Blake Mellinger's team will go on the road for three games with Carson-Newman University up first Wednesday. Tip is slated for 7:30 p.m.
