JACKSON, Miss. — The Maryville men's basketball team continued its strong play away from home Saturday afternoon, pulling away in the second half for a 79–63 road win over Belhaven inside Charles R. Rugg Arena.
The win moves the Scots to 18-4 overall and a perfect 9-0 in CCS play, while Belhaven falls to 9-11 on the season and 3-4 in conference action.
The victory added another chapter to Maryville's success away from home in conference play. Over the past four seasons, the Scots are 22–1 on the road in CCS action, and over the last five years, Maryville owns a 33–2 CCS road record.
Maryville has also found consistent success against Belhaven, improving to 8–2 all-time in the series. The Scots' most recent loss came during the 2024–25 season (83–91). Across 10 meetings, Maryville has averaged 84.9 points per game against the Blazers and has totaled 849 points in the series.
Maryville battled through illness and a physical Blazers squad, using efficient shooting and steady execution to secure its ninth straight conference victory.
"I'm really proud of this group battling through today in Jackson, MS," head coach Raul Placeres said. "Belhaven's a tough place to play, and we had two or three guys dealing with sickness, but we grinded it out for a solid 79-63 victory."
Jackson Garner led all scorers with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, knocking down four three-pointers to pace the Scots. Jamal Ware added 17 points and eight rebounds, providing energy on both ends of the floor.
"Jamal Ware was electric, dropping 17 points to go along with eight rebounds," Placeres said. "He brought a relentless energy that ignited us for a majority of the game."
Garner delivered timely baskets throughout the contest, helping Maryville maintain separation whenever Belhaven looked to make a push.
"Special shoutout to Jackson Garner," Placeres said. "He made big shot after big shot when we needed them most. His clutch threes and tough finishes around the rim kept Belhaven from mounting any real runs."
Maryville gained control late in the first half behind improved ball movement and defensive stops, taking a 40–33 lead into halftime.
The Scots came out of the break with purpose, shooting 60.0 percent in the second half while stretching the lead to as many as 20 points. Ware and Garner continued to connect from deep, while Chase Morgan attacked the paint to keep pressure on the Blazers defense.
"Our point guard duo of Javi Rosell and Jaylon Green did an outstanding job running the show," Placeres said. "They protected the ball, dictated the pace, and showed real poise under pressure."
Morgan finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, and four assists, while Matt Schneider added 11 points and five rebounds. Jett Sutton and Collin Smith provided key minutes off the bench as Maryville answered every Belhaven push.
"And don't overlook those timely baskets from Matthew Schneider, Collin Smith, freshman Jett Sutton, and Chase Morgan," Placeres said. "Those shots came at perfect moments to help us pull away. That's what you have to do in February."
Maryville controlled the glass with a 34–25 rebounding edge and limited Belhaven to 40.0 percent shooting, including just 2-of-11 from three-point range in the second half.
"Total team resilience on the road," Placeres said. "Onto the next one."
Maryville is back in action, Friday, February 13, taking on the Huntingdon Hawks inside of Cooper Ahtletic Center at 6:00 PM.
