By Matthew D. Stokes
BerryVikings.com Staff Writer

ROME, Ga. – Berry's Nasser Almulla led all players with 21 points, but No. 8 Birmingham-Southern led for the majority of the game on its way to a 69-58 victory at Berry's Cage Center Tuesday evening.

In the first half, Birmingham-Southern (23-1) led by no more than eight points as they struggled to convert from three-point range, shooting a cold 14.3 percent from long distance in the first 20 minutes. On the other hand, three-point shooting, particularly that of Almulla and Mac Whalen, kept Berry close. Almulla and Whalen each made three 3-pointers on their way to 13 and 12 first half points, respectively.

Birmingham-Southern, though, was dominating on the boards as it outrebounded Berry 23-9 in the first half. Zac Richards almost singlehandedly outrebounded Berry's team, grabbing seven boards himself to Berry's nine.

"They didn't shoot the ball as well as they have," said Berry head coach Jeff Haarlow of Birmingham-Southern. "We executed our game plan well in the first half."

Berry (3-19) continued to keep the game within single digits in the second half, and did not trail by double figures until a Griffin Schamp basket just over eight minutes into the second period.

Birmingham-Southern began to stretch its lead out to more than 10 points due in large part to squeaky-clean free throwing shooting. The Panthers did not miss a shot from the charity strip until the final three minutes of the game, successfully making their first 16 attempts.

"When you've won the amount that they've won, they believe in each other," said Haarlow of the Panthers' 23-1 record. "There's a reason for their record."

Still, Berry is an obviously improved team since the first time the squads met Nov. 20 in Birmingham, when the Panthers defeated Berry 103-55.
 
"Our guys are just competing at a different level," said Haarlow of the difference nearly three months has made. "They're trusting what we do more."

In addition to Almulla's 21 points for Berry, Whalen scored 16 while Lake Graham tallied 10 along with a team-high seven rebounds.

Richards went to work in the paint for BSC, tacking on 18 points and hauling down a game-high 13 boards. Jasen Jonus also finished in double figures with 16 points on the strength of five three-pointers.

The play down low for Birmingham-Southern had a major impact on the game's final score as the Panthers outscored Berry 34-20 in the paint.

Berry will return to the hardwood when crosstown rival Shorter University pays the Cage Center a visit on Thursday at 8 p.m.

"Hopefully we'll make a good statement," Haarlow said. "I'm proud of the improvement since that first Shorter game. We're playing with a little more passion and competitiveness."

- BerryVikings.com –