Men’s College Basketball
Frankfort, KY
March 5, 2007

Perfection - Bucket with 1.0 Gives Tigers Title, Perfect MSC Record

When the story is told of the 2007 Mid-South Conference tournament, it will come down to four words: He was wide open.

After Mike Gibson sank a three-pointer to put Cumberlands ahead 64-63 with 14 seconds left, Georgetown came down the floor and found senior forward Kevin Reinhardt all alone under the basket for a layup with 1.0 seconds left that gave third-ranked Georgetown a 65-64 win and the league’s automatic bid in the national tournament.

With the win, Georgetown will take a 20-game win streak into the Buffalo Funds NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship. The Tigers became the first team in Mid-South Conference history to go through the regular-season and tournament undefeated, winning all 12 games played against MSC opponents this season.

Cumberlands (20-10) led most of the way, and was on top 55-52 after two Chris Simmons free throws with 5:32 left. But Georgetown scored seven unanswered points, including a deep three by senior Craig Schoen with 3:26 left to push the Tiger lead to 59-55.

The teams traded baskets for the next two minutes before a Georgetown turnover gave the Patriots the ball with 39 seconds left trailing by two. A missed shot was rebounded by Simmons, who kicked it to an open Gibson, whose three gave the Patriots the lead and set the stage for Reinhardt’s heroics.

Georgetown (29-3) was led by MSC Co-Player of the Year Brian Silverhorn, who had a game-high 24 that included a three-pointer at the 3:03 mark of the first half that made him the ninth member of the 2,000-point club at Georgetown College. Reinhardt, who had eight in the final 4:31, joined Donnovan Brown with 12.

Brown added 10 rebounds in the win.

Cumberlands, ranked 14th in the final Div. I poll, was led by Brown’s 14. Howell, whose three with 14 seconds left put his team ahead was his third of the day, finished with 13.

Simmons, who had five points and a pair of blocks, added 10 rebounds, half off the offensive glass.