GEORGETOWN, Texas – Southwestern University held Millsaps College to their lowest point total of the season, 39 points, as they cruised to their 15th win of the season, 53-39, to secure a spot in the SCAC tournament at the end of the month. SU moves to 15-6 overall and 7-4 in the conference while the Majors fall to 9-11 overall and 5-7 in SCAC action.

Senior Travis Barber cracked things open for the Pirates by going on an 8-0 after the opening tip that included two three-pointers and a jumper just outside the lane to set the tone for the contest. The Majors hung close throughout most of the first half until junior Nick Caputo’s three with five minutes to go in the half gave Southwestern an 11 point lead, 25-14. Millsaps’ closed the half on a 4-1 run, however, to pull within eight as the Pirates took a 26-18 lead heading into the break.

As the second half commenced SU turned up the pressure defensively and held the Majors to just three points through the first 13 minutes of the second half and mounted a 22 point lead, 43-21 with seven remaining in the game.

Millsaps was kept at an arms length for the rest of the game as Southwestern ran away with the 53-39 victory, the lowest point total for the Majors all season.

SU only made one more field goal than Millsaps but made 10 more free throws and out-rebounded the Majors by five, 34-29. The Pirates had three players in double digits, junior Jonathan Brown led with 14 while Barber and senior Zach Bergstrom each had 10. No Millsaps player reached double figures as Cortese and Lemieux led with seven points a piece.

The Pirates close out their home stretch with a game Saturday night against Hendrix College at 8:00 pm.