ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Miles showcased much of what has made it the best team in the league as it thrashed Savannah State 85-64 Wednesday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the SIAC Tournament at the Rock Hill Sports and Event Center.
The Golden Bears (22-4) got a career performance from
Jelani Watson-Gayle, balanced scoring from the rest of the team, and a debilitating defensive spurt that changed the tenor - if not the outcome - of the game as Miles posted the biggest win, thus far, in the entire tournament.
Savannah State (11-13) led 17-10 after the first 13 minutes as Miles missed 13 of its first 15 shots from the field and turned the ball over seven times. But the Golden Bears are the best defensive team in the country and the Tigers were about to get a personal escort through the Lockdown Zone. For the next six minutes, SSU would not score a point, missing seven straight shots while adding a turnover. Meanwhile, the Golden Bears would make 6-of-8 from the field - including four 3-pointers from Watson-Gayle (two),
Ryan Calhoun, and
Richard Feagin - that sparked a 16-0 run that gave Miles the lead for good.
"I just think the anxiety of the first game, of us being the No. 1 seed, some guys were just a little anxious," said Miles head coach
Fred Watson. "We had some bad misses early. But we let our defense settle us down, got into a good offensive rhythm, and were able to start playing how we play."
While it was defense that set the stage, it was the offense that closed the show for the Golden Bears. Leading 26-20 at halftime. Miles scored 59 points in the second half - a season-high for any half this season. To put that into perspective, there were 12 opponents this season who did not score that many points against the Golden Bears for an entire game and was just five less than SSU's point total for the contest.
The Tigers were bent on keeping SIAC Player of the Year
Avery Brown from being the difference maker so the offensive burden was passed around. Everyone got involved for the Golden Bears with all eight players who entered the contest scoring at least five points. That was never more evident than during a 14-4 run midway through the second half that essentially put the game out of reach.
Umar Frost (eight points, game-high 10 rebounds) scored six points while Watson-Gayle,
Joel Logan and Brown all contributed to increase the margin to 57-39 with just more than seven minutes remaining.
"We tried to take away Player of the Year
Avery Brown," SSU head coach Harold Broadnax said. "He scored six points. But Mr. Watson(-Gayle) got loose and made some tough shots. He made some good shots."
Watson-Gayle scored a career-high 30 points in the win. He made 8-of-14 shots from the field while also grabbing five rebounds as he took on the scoring burden for the Golden Bears.
"Our team has so many weapons, it can be anybody's night. Fortunately for me, tonight was my night," said Watson-Gayle, the SIAC's leading 3-point shooter who made five three's in a game for the seventh time this season. "I just did what the team needed me to do at the right time."
Savannah State did its best to extend the contest by repeatedly fouling and sending Miles to the free throw line over the final five minutes. But the Golden Bears, who did not shoot a free throw in the first half, made 24-of-28 from the charity stripe and the Tigers never got closer than nine points inside the final three minutes.
Avery Joyner had 20 points and Zion Williams added 15 for Savannah State.
Frank Royles had 16 points, Logan had eight points and six rebounds, and Feagin added six points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals for Miles, which will play the Central State-Clark Atlanta winner in the semifinals on Friday. Tip-of is scheduled for 2:15 p.m.
