In a matchup between the Centenary Gents and St. Thomas Celts on February 24, 2024, the Gents defeated the Celts with a final score of 64-51. With this win, the Celts were eliminated in the SCAC Men's Basketball Tournament.
The first half saw both teams trading baskets, with Centenary taking a narrow lead of 29-25. In the second half, Centenary's offense kicked into high gear, outscoring St. Thomas 35-26 to secure the win. Centenary's balanced scoring attack and solid defense proved to be the difference-maker in this game.
For St. Thomas, Nicholas Buffalo stood out with a double-double performance, recording 15 points and 10 rebounds. Despite his efforts, St. Thomas struggled to find offensive rhythm, shooting just 31.6% from the field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Centenary turned 13 St. Thomas turnovers into a 20-7 edge in points off of turnovers.
- St. Thomas outscored Centenary 26-18 in the paint.
- The Gents held a 21-14 margin in bench points.
- The Celts won the battle on the glass as St. Thomas held a slim 38-35 margin in rebounding, including a 12-6 edge in offensive rebounds.
- Centenary shot 42.3 percent (22-of-52) from the floor for the game including a blistering 52.2 percent (12-of-23) in the second half.
- St. Thomas was limited to just 31.6 percent (18-of-57) from the field for the game, including just 5-of-28 (17.9 percent) from beyond the arc.
- Nicholas Buffalo: 15 points, 10 rebounds, 7-of-12 FG, one assist
- Nick Anderson: 12 points, six rebounds (three offensive), two assists, one steal
- Ricky Altamirano: 8 points, five rebounds, four assists
With this loss, St. Thomas falls to 20-6 on the season. The Celts will await any potential NCAA postseason fate when the bracket is announced on Monday. St. Thomas currently ranks third in the most recent Region X rankings.
