PIPPA PASSES, Ky. – The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College men's basketball team secured a hard-fought 84-80 road victory over Alice Lloyd College (Ky.) on Saturday afternoon at the Perry Center. With the win, the Pomeroys improved their record to 17-3 overall and 7-1 in River States Conference play.
Leading the way for SMWC was Greg Jenkins, who recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Jenkins shot 10-of-16 from the field and added five assists. DaMeriz Merriweather also had a strong performance, contributing 15 points, including three 3-pointers, while Caleb Iheukwu chipped in with 13 points and six rebounds.
SMWC outscored Alice Lloyd 43-42 in the second half after taking a 41-38 lead at the break. The Pomeroys shot 50.8 percent from the field, including 7-of-18 from beyond the arc. They also capitalized at the free-throw line, hitting 15 of 23 attempts (65.2%).
Alice Lloyd, which falls to 13-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play, was led by Ben Soumahoro, who poured in 29 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jackson Tackett added 19 points, while Landon Napier contributed 10 points in the losing effort.
Alice Lloyd (Ky.) led 41-40 after a jumper by Jackson Tackett with 19:49 remaining, but SMWC quickly responded with a fastbreak layup from Landon Napier to regain a slim lead. The game remained tight throughout the second half, with multiple lead changes in the final minutes.
With 2:39 left in the game, Dameriz Merriweather gave the Pomeroys a 77-75 lead with a clutch three-pointer. Alice Lloyd responded with a layup by Tackett Jackson to tie the game at 77 with 2:21 left. However, a layup and two free throws by Greg Jenkins helped St. Mary-of-the-Woods reclaim a 79-77 advantage with under two minutes to play.
In the final seconds, Alice Lloyd had a chance to tie the game but missed multiple three-pointers, and key defensive rebounds from the Pomeroys sealed the win. The Pomeroys' ability to capitalize on free-throw opportunities down the stretch was key, as they hit several critical shots from the line to preserve the lead.
The Pomeroys will return home to host Shawnee State University on Thursday, January 30, at 5:30 p.m. (ET) inside the Knoerle Center. SMWC will look to extend its win streak in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
