In front of a packed crowd dressed in their best Christmas attire, the Covenant men's basketball team hosted Sewanee. In a game that came down to the final possession, the Scots were unable to secure the season sweep of the Tigers, falling 63-60.
Jesse Kinard scored Covenant's first six points as the two teams were tied after five minutes. Sewanee went on a 7-0 scoring run capped off by a Reid Carrier 3-pointer to take a 13-6 lead. Midway through the half, Logan Pearlman knocked down a triple to keep the Scots within seven points. Covenant clawed its way back as Jonathan Gernatt hit a jumper to cut the lead to one point at 22-21. The Scots took their first lead at 27-26 with 2:21 remaining as Gernatt made an inside basket. The Tigers ended the half on a 7-0 scoring run which included a buzzer-beater 3-pointer by Trae Corrigan to go into the locker room ahead 33-27.
Sewanee scored 11 of the first 14 points of the second half to take a 44-30 lead with 16:32 remaining. The two teams continued to go blow-for-blow before a triple from David Compere cut the lead back to single digits at 48-39. A 3-point play after being fouled from Kinard put the Scots within six midway through the half. Compere knocked down a pair of triples as Covenant trailed by just five points with 6:56 left in the game. A breakaway dunk from Fletcher Bigham for Sewanee put the lead back at 10 points.
The Scots rode an 8-0 scoring run and held Sewanee scoreless for almost four minutes to get within two points with 22 seconds remaining. Trailing by three points with five seconds left, Covenant drove down the court and got an open look from downtown, but its attempt at sending the game to OT fell off the rim.
Covenant drops to 13-23 all-time against Sewanee. Compere had a game-high 19 points with five 3-pointers. Gernatt posted 12 points and seven rebounds. In his return from injury, Kinard was in double-figures with 11 points.
Covenant shot 33.9% (21-62) while Sewanee was 37.9% (22-58). ]The Tigers had 17 points off turnovers and Covenant had only four points off turnovers. Covenant won the rebound battle 42-37.
UP NEXT: Covenant hosts Birmingham-Southern on Saturday at 4 p.m. for its final game of a five-game home stand.