HARTSVILLE, S.C. – UVA Wise was edged by Coker on the road Saturday afternoon, falling 95-91 in overtime. Junior Cameron Whiteside registered a game-high 27 points and 11 rebounds for his eighth career double-double.
Redshirt junior Briggs Parris netted a season-high 20 points, connecting on a trio of shots from three-point range. Junior Kaeleb Carter also scored in double-figures for the Cavaliers (0-5, 0-5 SAC) with 16 points. Carter added a season-high nine rebounds and dished out a career-high six assists.
Trailing most of the game, the Cavs used a late rally in the second half to tie the contest at the end of regulation. UVA Wise battled to the end, but a run to close out the game by Coker (4-2, 4-2 SAC) secured the win for the Cobras in overtime.
UVA Wise opened the scoring in the first half on a triple by Carter, but the Cobras pulled ahead with a 12-7 advantage with under 15 minutes to play.
Less than three minutes later, a shot from downtown by Coker gave the Cobras their first double-digit lead of the game, 22-11, at the 12:33 mark.
After trailing by as many as 13 points, Carter knocked down his second three of the contest to pull the Cavs within single-digits, down 29-20 with 9:07 on the clock in the opening half.
Freshman Ryan Johnson scored a season-high nine points while connecting on three consecutive shots from behind the arc in three minutes to tie the game, 36-36, with 3:48 to go.
Coker found themselves back in front at halftime, up 50-43 at the break.
The two teams opened the second half trading baskets before Coker extended its lead back to double-digits, 61-48, with 14:29 left.
UVA Wise managed to narrow the margin as Parris and Whiteside combined for nine unanswered points to cut the Cobras advantage to four points, 61-57, with 13:19 on the clock.
The Cavaliers continued to climb back, pulling within one point with a little over three minutes left.
Down by two, a late layup by Whiteside with 35 seconds on the clock tied the game as the scoreboard read 83-83 at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, Coker quickly took back the lead less than 30 seconds into the frame, up 86-83 on a three by Malcom Kennedy.
The Cobras maintained a slight lead over the next several minutes until a trip to the line for Carter put UVA Wise on top, 91-90, with 1:13 on the clock.
The Cavs rally fell short as Coker closed out the game on a 4-0 run to claim a 95-91 league win.
UVA Wise freshman Bradley Dean scored his first points in a Cavalier uniform, finishing with five on the night and added three rebounds.
UVA Wise shot 47 percent (31-for-66) from the field and 40.6 percent (13-for-32) from three-point range. The team found success at the foul line connecting on 16-of-17 (94.1 percent) shots at the charity stripe. The Cavs won the rebounding battle 36-35 and totaled 18 assists and eight steals as a team.
Four Cobras scored in double-figures led by Chandler Lindsey and Malcolm Kennedy who each had 19 points in the game. Coker finished the contest shooting 51.5 percent from the floor and posted 25 total assists.
Head coach Blake Mellinger's squad will take on Lenoir-Rhyne University Wednesday, January 13. Tip-off is slated for 6:30 p.m. inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center.
