HEAD COACH HOLT NOTCHES 100TH WIN WITH RAIDERS
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Jordan Hamilton scored 24 points and Roane State overcame a late rally to defeat Southwest Tennessee 85-83 in overtime Monday, March 2, giving men's basketball head coach Alan Holt his 100th career victory with the Raiders.
"Coach Holt has made two trips to the national tournament, winning two conference championships," RSCC Athletic Director David Lane noted. "He is consistently ranked in the top three for post-season conference seeding. Anytime he puts a team on the floor, you know there's a really good chance they're going to be successful."
Holt, who took over the program in 2021, reached the milestone in dramatic fashion – an overtime win against a conference rival on the road. Lane further praised Holt's impact, noting his consistency and positive impact on members of the team.
"He's an excellent recruiter, he's great with player development, and at the same time, they all know he cares about them," Lane said. "So, he's a great balance of everything as a head coach. He's hard-nosed, he's intense, but everything is geared toward doing right by his team. He puts a quality program and product on the floor and wins consistently."
Holt succeeded Roane State Athletics and TCCAA Hall of Fame coach Randy Nesbit, who laid the foundation for the program. Lane credited Holt with ensuring that the program's mission to achieve excellence has remained a top priority.
"Coach Nesbit was an incredible person and did an incredible job," Lane said. "Alan came in and built on that strong foundation. He has a different approach, and there are so many intangibles, but all of that combined has created continued success for our program."
Monday's game was knotted at 35 at halftime, with both teams matching 39 points in the second half to force overtime. Roane State pulled ahead early in the extra session on a 3-pointer by Chase McEntire, who finished with 11 points, and sealed it with free throws from Hamilton in the final minute.
The victory underscores Holt's tenure, which Lane described as a blessing for Roane State Athletics. "We're extremely fortunate to have Coach Holt at the helm of this basketball program, and we'll be in good hands with his continued leadership," he said.
Contributing to the strong performance, Hamilton added six assists and four steals for the Raiders. Mikey Carpenter contributed 13 points and seven assists, while Adonai Mussie had 12 points and 11 rebounds with three blocks. The team shot 44.3% from the field and 11 of 29 from 3-point range.
Roane State won the boards 43-41 and forced 14 turnovers while committing 15. Dashawn Hall-Johnson added 11 points and nine rebounds for the Raiders, who went 12 of 16 from the line.
The Raiders' bench provided depth, with Towan Siler scoring five points and Jalen Davis adding five more. Roane State capitalized on its assists advantage, dishing out 19 compared to fewer from the opposition, showcasing the team's cohesive play under Holt.
The Raiders begin their postseason run on Saturday, March 7. Roane State will challenge the winner of the Cleveland State vs Southwest State play-in game at the TCCAA Conference Tournament in Gallatin, Tennessee, at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game live on the Vol State Sports Network YouTube channel.