Box Score THOMASVILLE, Ga. – Once again, the contest came down to the final minute for the Thomas University Men's basketball team, as the Night Hawks once again closed out the contest victorious, defeating Middle Georgia State 67-62 Monday night at TU Gymnasium.
 
TU (5-2, 1-0 SUN) finished the night shooting just under 42% from the floor, but struggled from long-ranging as the Green & White went 5-for-22 (22.7%).  For the fourth time in the TJ Rines era, the Night Hawks matched its lowest turnover count with nine.  TU also recorded its best team performance from the charity stripe, knocking down 12 of 14 shots.
 
In the team-centric Night Hawks' win, it was Senior Guard Tim Williamson's turn to lead TU, shooting 8-for-11 en route to a 19-point night while adding four assists, four boards, two steals and one block.
 
For the first five and a half minutes, both sides could only register a basket before a foul from Middle Georgia (3-4) allowed Fifth-year Victor Tshiona to add a pair of good free-throws to give Thomas its first lead of the night at 4-2.
 
For the majority of the first half, both sides went back and forth, exchanging scores and keeping the scoring difference to one possession until an equalizing layup from Fifth-year DeSean Enzor to tie the game at 14 with 7:58 remaining kicked off a 9-0 scoring run for TU.
 
The Night Hawks' largest lead of the half (21-14) at the 5:39 mark would not last long, as the Knights would battle back for the next four minutes to not only catch up to the Green & White, but would temporarily retake the lead with a Tyler Willoughby dunk to put MGA up 27-26 with 1:25 left.  Thomas would finish the half with an extended jumper from Williamson to give TU the 28-27 lead at the half.
 
Senior Guard Trint Bryant began the second half with a bang, hitting a trey 10 seconds into the second half to extend Thomas' lead 31-27.  Nevertheless, it did not change the ultimate game flow, as Middle Georgia State quickly bounced back to keep the contest to a one-possession difference.
 
Thomas would have another go at rebuilding a lead at the 10:47 mark, when Williamson's successful And1 sparked an 11-2 run that included back-to-back good 3-Ptrs. from Graduate Guard Reggie Wright.  With the scoring run that started and ended with Williamson, TU built the lead to seven (53-46) with 8:28 left.
 
Once again, Thomas would see its lead depleted, as late heroics from MGA's Tristan Harper kept the Knights in the contest late, as the Forward finished the night with 30 points.  Down 61-54, Harper led an 8-0 scoring run that saw the Knights jump in front late with a 62-61 lead.
 
As Middle Georgia took the go-ahead basket, elation turned into doom as a technical foul on Juwan Johnson in the transition allowed Senior Guard Toriano Lewis to hit a critical pair of free-throws that gave the lead, right back to the Night Hawks, 63-62.  
 
The Knights had two chances to retake the lead. With the first opportunity at the 13.6 second, Tyler Willoughby attempted to convert a go-ahead jumper, but a block from Enzor and a defensive board led to a foul that sent Lewis back to the line to add two more points at the free-throw line for TU (65-62).  The second opportunity ended with a steal from Senior Guard Jordan Booker that all but ended MGA's hopes for a win.  Because the Powder Springs, Ga. native was fouled as the steal occurred, Booker ended the contest with two made free-throws to secure the 67-62 win and the sweep over Middle Georgia State for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
 
TU by the Numbers
2:        Season-Series Sweeps over the Knights
5:        Season Wins
8:        Made Field Goals from Tim Williamson
9:        Lead Changes
12:      Times Game was Tied
15:      Career Wins for Head Coach TJ Rines
41:      Bench Points
67:      Points Scored
 
Thomas returns to the court Thursday, as the team awaits Ave Maria in SUN Conference action.  Tipoff at TU Gymnasium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
For up-to-date information on games and other TU Athletics, visit http://www.TUNightHawks.com. Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, play-by-play, and feature stories of your TU men's basketball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksMBKB.