GREENSBORO, N.C. – Josh Pittman (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half of Guilford College's 61-57 comeback win over visiting St. Mary's College of Maryland Monday night.
The Quakers (7-5) erased a nine-point halftime deficit to upend the Seahawks (9-3), who are ranked 13th in the current D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll. The defensive struggle saw both teams shoot 39 percent from the floor and featured seven ties and 14 lead changes.
St. Mary's held Guilford to eight-of-26 field-goal shooting (28.6%) in the first half and closed the period on a 6-0 spurt to take a 31-22 halftime lead. Alex Franz (Catonsville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) scored 11 of his team-high 15 points in the opening frame.
Gabriel Lowder's (Yadkinville, N.C./North Forsyth) jumper capped a 14-4 Guilford run to start the second half and gave the hosts a 36-35 edge with 13:21 to play. The teams traded the lead seven times over the next eight minutes before Pittman's jumper at the 5:08 mark gave Guilford the lead for good at 49-48.
Tobi Akinsola's (Cary, N.C./Word of God Christian (Bethany)) dunk with 1:20 remaining opened Guilford's largest advantage (57-51), but four free throws sandwiched around a Pittman turnover drew St. Mary's back to within 57-55 with 45 seconds left. The Seahawks made a strong defensive stand on the ensuing possession, but Pittman's 25-foot three-pointer with the shot clock running out iced the win.
Akinsola finished with 15 points and a game-high nine rebounds, four on the offensive glass. Guilford held St. Mary's to two-for-nine shooting from the floor in the final 7:37.
Sam Burum (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) (12 points) joined Franz as the Seahawks' double-figure scorers. Devin Spencer (Baltimore, Md./Towson Catholic) chipped in with eight points and Christian MacAuley (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.
Guilford resumes Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play Wednesday when it hosts Emory & Henry College at 7:00 p.m. in the Ragan-Brown Field House. Admission to the game is free.
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