Box Score

JACKSON - Senior guard \#Blake Martinez\# netted 18 of his season-high 27 points in the opening half thanks to 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point land and host Millsaps held off a late push from visiting Pensacola Christian to pick up its first win of the season, 71-59.

Millsaps improved to 16-4 all-time against the Eagles and 1-1 on the year, while the Eagles dropped their fourth consecutive game to open the 2009-10 campaign.

PCC shot just 21 percent in the opening half and were held to 0-of-10 from beyond the arc, while Martinez and the Majors built a commanding 20-point halftime cushion, 34-14. Senior \#Cameron Varnado\#'s posterizing dunk on James Parks at the 9:07 mark, with Millsaps leading 15-12, helped jumpstart a 19-2 run to end the half.

The Eagles, however, would not go down quietly, opening the second half on an 11-2 run after Millsaps took its largest lead of the game at 22 points. A trio of 3-pointers, including back-to-back 3s from Stephen Dale cut the lead to 40-27.

After the teams traded the next few baskets over the ensuing 3:30, Millsaps strung together a 10-4 run to go back up by 16 with 6:37 left in regulation.

Again PCC clawed back, taking advantage of a pair of missed layups for the Majors and converting on the offensive end thanks to a Brooks Lindblad 3-pointer and three straight free throws from Casey Christian. Ryan Scott added a jumper at the 3:17 mark and Christian added two more free throws to cap a 10-0 run and cut the lead to 57-51.

That's, however, as close as the Eagles would get the rest of the way, as sophomore \#Brian Merkel\# connected on 8-of-8 free throws down the stretch for Millsaps and Martinez was 4-for-4 to hold on for a gutsy, 71-59 win.

The PCC bench played a huge role in the game and nearly pulled off a huge comeback, outscoring the Majors' bench 19-6 on the night and helping convert 20 second chance points. Millsaps narrowly won the rebounding battle 40-37.

Martinez's 27 points on 8-of-16 shooting led all scorers, while \#Chris Ingle\# tied a career-high with 15 points and seven rebounds. Freshman \#Nick Cortese\# also chipped in a game-high five assists in addition to three Majors hauling in seven boards.

Nine different players scored for PCC, led by Christian with 15 points -- 11 in the second half. Scott also had 11 points in addition to nine for Lindblad.

Millsaps will now hit the road for its next six games across five states, beginning with a Nov. 24 matchup at the University of Dallas. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.