MARYVILLE, Tenn. -- Maryville closed out their opening night at the Renasant Bank Classic with a powerful second-half surge, pulling away from Johnson & Wales Charlotte for a 94-70 victory inside Cooper Athletic Center. The win moves the Scots to 8-2 overall, with a chance to reach 9-2 ahead of the holiday break.
Chase Morgan fueled Maryville again, dropping 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting while adding eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. "He's one of the elite bigs in the entire country, honestly, and I hope he can continue to play at that elite level," Head Coach
Raul Placeres said. Senior guard
Jackson Garner followed with 21 points, including five made threes - most of them coming during the second-half surge.
The Scots also received meaningful production throughout the rotation. The group of
Javi Rosell,
Jett Sutton,
Jaylon Green, and
R.J. Simmons combined for 29 points and 19 rebounds, and Placeres emphasized how important that balance was. "I thought we got great energy and production from Javi and
Jaylon Green. R.J. came off the bench and did some really nice things getting the boards," he said. "We're still trying to figure ourselves out... but we sit here at 8-2 with a possibility to go 9-2 before Christmas."
Maryville outshot the Wildcats in every category, averaging 45.3 percent from the field, 40.6 percent from deep, and 76.5 percent at the line. Their ability to generate and convert high-percentage shots created a 40-36 paint advantage, and the Scots capitalized on extra possessions with 22 second-chance points and 14 points off turnovers.
The Scots came out firing early, sprinting to a 10-0 lead behind Morgan's inside scoring and a three from Garner. JWU found a rhythm midway through the half, but Maryville steadied itself behind baskets from Rosell, Green, and
Kobe Franklin to enter the break ahead, 37-32. Placeres also spoke on Sutton's performance, saying, "
Jett Sutton had a good spurt there with a layup and a big three that got us going for a little bit."
Maryville put the game away in the second half. Garner and Morgan sparked a 23-6 run across an eight-minute stretch, with Green, Simmons, and Sutton adding key buckets as the lead inflated into the 20s.
Bryce Curtis,
Zeek Young,
Jalen McCullough, and others closed out the final minutes, and the Scots maintained full control through the final buzzer.
While the 24-point victory showcased Maryville's depth and firepower, Placeres made clear that the group's ceiling remains much higher. "Winning is so hard... Are we satisfied? No. I'm asking for the perfect game knowing I'm never going to get it, but I'm hoping to catch excellence along the way."
Maryville returns to action Saturday at 2:00 PM, closing out their time at the Renasant Bank Classic, looking to hold a 9-2 record heading into the holiday break.
