MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Hendrix College men's basketball team did not make things easy on themselves, but they found a way to win. The sixth-seeded Warriors edged the third seed Sewanee - The University of the South 73-71 in the quarterfinal round of the Southern Athletic Association Tournament on Friday, earning their first SAA Tournament victory in their three-year conference membership.

A pair of unlikely heroes rose to lead the Warriors offense. Gabe Gumm entered the game averaging just 4.7 points per game while John Ogle scored just 4.5 points per game this season. The pair combined for 30 points, with each registering career-highs in scoring, to lead the Hendrix offense. Luke Vance finished with 18 points while Hank Aldous dropped 16 for the Warriors as well.

Hendrix opened the game with a 7-2 lead thanks to five points from John Ogle, but Sewanee battled back to take the lead. A 16-6 run from the Tigers put the third-seeded squad ahead of the Warriors 18-13 with 8:11 left in the half. Gumm propelled the Hendrix offense for the rest of the half, pouring in eight points in the next five minutes to key a 20-6 Hendrix run to finish the half. At the break, Hendrix rolled into the locker room with a 33-24 lead.

The second half did not go as smoothly for the Warriors as the Tigers clawed their way back into contention. The Warriors got off to a good start, taking a 47-31 lead, their largest advantage of the game, with 15 minutes to play. From that point, Sewanee chipped away at the lead until the Tigers tied the game at 63-63 with 1:47 remaining. 

In the final minute of play, Hendrix worked their offense through their leader Luke Vance. Vance buried a layup and finished a three-point play, giving the Warriors a 67-63 lead with 36 seconds to go. Jorden Williams kept Sewanee in the game with a three-point circus shot and a pair of free throws, cutting the Hendrix advantage down to 71-70 with seven seconds to play. Aldous drilled a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 73-70, but with five seconds to play the Tigers had a chance to tie. 

With a three-point lead, Hendrix fouled deliberately to prevent the Tigers from hitting a game-tying three. Sewanee's Williams hit the front end of his foul shots cutting the lead to 73-71 and purposely missed the second free throw. The tactic almost worked as Sewanee grabbed the rebound and had an off-balance look to tie the game at the buzzer, but the shot rimmed out. The Warriors survived to earn the 73-71 victory.

Hendrix Notes
- Gabe Gumm dropped a career-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting while John Ogle scored a career-high 14 points.
- Hank Aldous iced the game for the Warriors, going 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final minute of play.
- The Warriors shot 52.2% from the floor, going 24-for-46 on the day, including 7-for-14 (50.0%) from behind the arc.
- The Orange and Black committed just 10 turnovers in the game, tying their third-fewest turnovers in a game this season.

Sewanee Notes
- Jorden Williams finished with 29 points for the Tigers, including the team's final seven points.
- Sewanee shot 25-for-49 (51.0%) from the floor, and 4-for-9 (44.4%) from behind the arc.
- The Tigers have lost in the SAA Quarterfinals in three straight seasons now, and have never won an SAA playoff game.

Up Next
Hendrix will look to keep their postseason alive when they take on the second-seeded Centre College Colonels in the SAA Semifinals on Saturday.