PRATT, Kans.- Down by as many as 15 points against a free-flowing Redlands Community College team, the Beavers, as they do, managed to fortify their defenses. Nevertheless, it wasn't enough. Leading 78-76 on the final possession, the Beavers saw a buzzer-beating triple swish through the cylinder, as the Cougars prevailed in a wild affair 79-78.
Redshirt sophomore Jamel Horton did all he could to claw his team back from a 12-point halftime deficit, scoring 27 points to go with 10 rebounds. Through seven games, Horton is currently averaging nearly 18 points per game and seven rebounds. Freshman Mahamadou Nimaga had his most impactful collegiate night thus far, posting 14 points off the bench. Nimaga shot 66 percent from the field (6-9).
Sophomores James Burns and Deontae Davis also managed double-figures as reserves, with the pair scoring a respective 12 and 11 points. Pratt's first-half offense certainly had an impact late in the game, as the Beavers only connected on 30 percent of their shot attempts (10-33), much to do with a less-than-stellar effort from beyond the arc (2-14).
The Beavers did shoot 41 percent in the second-half, but for the game, the Beavers only managed to convert 20 percent from behind the three-point line (5-25), compared to the Cougars 48 percent (14-29). Redlands final trifecta ended up being the dagger to the hearts of Pratt fans, who saw Carlos Coppage's step-back three fall through as time expired.
Pratt returns to the court on Friday, a 7:00 PM home tip-off against Sterling College's junior varsity team.