Walter Peggs Jr. hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to secure a 81-78 win for the Spring Hill College men’s basketball team against SIAC foe Central State at the Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center on Saturday evening.

Spring Hill had a slow start after Central State took an 8-0 lead in the opening minutes of play. By the first media break, the Badgers had cut the Marauder lead to 10-5.

SHC went on a 8-4 run, with four different scorers (Bo Barber, Eli Lenihan, Isaiah Veal and Jayden Webley), to make it a one-point game (14-13) by the under-12 media timeout.

Veal and Webley combined for eight points over the next four minutes and gave Spring Hill a 22-19 lead with less than ten minutes to go in the half. The team continued on to a double-digit lead (34-21) that was ensured by a 3-pointer from Luka Erdtmann in his first appearance since November.

Spring Hill shot 50 percent (17-34) in the first half on the way to its 42-27 halftime lead.

Central State scored the first five points of the second half, before Peggs Jr. hit a 3-pointer to break up the run. Two more baskets from distance and a handful of points from Lenihan and Timothy Reilly boosted the Badger lead to 17 points (55-38).

At 14:50, Barber jacked up a 3-pointer that gave SHC a 20-point 58-38 lead, its largest of the night. The Marauders cut Spring Hill’s lead to 10 points, 60-50, with less than 12 minutes left in the game.

With 6:37 left on the clock, CSU was able to tie the game at 65-65. Shortly after, the Marauders took their first lead (68-65) since the first half on a 3-pointer.

Moments later, a pair of free throws from Steven Lyles tied the game at 70-70. In the final two minutes, with SHC down 76-70, Veal went on a 5-0 run to bring the game within one point.

Peggs Jr. hit a fastbreak 3-pointer to take a 78-76 lead, but CSU answered with a layup to tie the game again at 78-78. After a missed shot from distance, Peggs Jr. rebounded the ball and got a shot off with 0.1 left on the clock and hit the game-winning 3-pointer.

In the 81-78 win, the Badgers improved to 8-7 (5-4 SIAC) on the year, while Central State fell to 2-14 and 1-7 in conference play.

Game Details
Date: Jan. 13
Time: 4 p.m.
Venue (Location): Arthur R. Outlaw Recreation Center (Mobile, Ala.)

Results
Spring Hill 81, Central State 78
Records: Spring Hill (8-7, 5-4 SIAC), Central State (2-14, 1-7 SIAC)

They Said It
Head Coach Craig Kennedy
On the game
“I was really happy with the way we played in the first half. We got up to a good lead. I was disappointed with our intensity in the second half. You never want to count your opponent out, especially a team that’s as well coached and as tough as they [Central State} are. So, I think we’ve got to do better in that situation, but we showed a lot of composure to come back. These guys played with some grit when we needed it. We just need to learn to need it earlier. We drew up that play for Walter [Peggs Jr.], I think that was one of Eli’s [Lenihan} specials there and we had faith that Walter would hit that shot in the corner. It was a great crowd, we appreciate everybody who came out to the game today. This is good Spring Hill basketball; it’s fun, it’s entertaining and we want to have people come out for the Kentucky State game on Monday.”

Isaiah Veal (Point Guard, R-Sr.)
On his performance
“I feel like I’ve had a good couple of games the past two home games. Just getting in the gym and talking with Coach about what I can do better. Slowing it down and having more poise down the stretch. It was really my teammates who trusted me. The crowd was into it, it was just a really good win going into a big game on Monday against Kentucky state – we hope to see all of our fans back.”

Walter Peggs Jr. (Guard, Jr.)
On his performance
“We have something in our locker room on the wall that says ‘Team over self’, so I knew in that first half, it wasn’t my time and I knew I still had to find a way to be impactful. So even with me being on the sidelines, I was cheering the guys on, because I knew that when the opportunity arose, I was going to capitalize.”

On his game-winning buzzer beater
“Honestly, [I’m at a] loss for words. I was in here last night, just getting up shots and working on shots like that. Just to see the next day that those type of shots I was working on would just come to pass. It shows if you consistently put in the work, you’ll get the results you want and that’s what happened tonight.”

Up Next
The Badgers will finish their homestand with a conference game against Kentucky State on Monday.

For complete coverage of Spring Hill men’s basketball, follow the Badgers on social media @SHCHoops (X), /SHCBADGERS (Facebook), @shchoops (Instagram) or visit the official home of Spring Hill athletics at shcbadgers.com