BOX SCORE

JACKSON – The Millsaps Majors Men's Basketball Team opned conference play on Friday evening as they battled the Centre Colonels at The Hangar Dome in Jackson, Miss. The trio of Greg Ross, Josh Karsner, and Jeff Mullaney proved to be too much for the Majors as they combined to score 49 points in a 65-50 win for Centre.
 
Millsaps jumped out to a 7-0 lead thanks to five early points from junior guard Taylor Meades. The Colonels responded quickly with a 25-5 run to race out to a 25-12 lead with eight minutes remaining in the first half. Millsaps stuggled to find its shot as they only fired 36% from the field and 14% from behind the arc. Meanwhile, the Colonels were red hot as they shot 50% from the field and 55% from three as they took a 38-22 lead into half.
 
The Majors hung tough and battled the Colonels in the second half as they outscored Centre 28-27. With over two minutes remaining in the game, Millsaps was able to get the score down to 13 thanks to back-to-back threes from seniors Brian Merkel and Jeff Brown.
 
Brown led Millsaps with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting while junior Nick Cortese, Meades, and freshman Sterling Thomas chipped in with nine points a piece. Merkel led all rebounders with six as well as three assists on the night. Ross of Centre led all scorers with 17 as he only missed one shot throughout the night.
 
The Majors fall to 3-2 on the season and 0-1 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The return to action on Sunday afternoon as they take on the Sewanee Tigers at The Hangar Dome. Tipoff will follow the women's game at 3 p.m.