COLUMBIA, S.C.— Hoping to extend its 6-game unbeaten streak Wednesday night, the Montreat men's basketball team faced a strong Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) opponent in the Columbia International University Rams. Squaring off in Columbia, S.C., the Cavaliers fell on the wrong side of a buzzer-beating basket that resulted in a 77-75 win for the home team. With the defeat, Montreat now stands at 11-10 (8-9 AAC) on the season.
 
Columbia International (14-8, 13-5 AAC) scored the game's opening bucket, but Gabriel Rivera poured in eight points as part of a 13-2 run over 3:07 that saw the visitors seize an early 9-point lead on the scoreboard (13-4).
 
As Montreat hit a slower offensive stretch in which it scored seven points across seven minutes of game action, the Rams started to chip away at their deficit. While CIU pulled within a basket at 22-20 with 7:32 remaining in the initial half, the hosts never fully eliminated the gap during the frame. Jack Keller hit a jumper to restore the 2-possession lead, and after RJ Manginello and Dyllan Barnwell each connected on a pair of free throws, Collin Mills notched back-to-back buckets in the paint to create a 32-24 edge.
 
The Rams made one final charge across the final three minutes of play, but both Mills and Rivera tallied baskets to ensure the Cavs maintained a 36-33 lead entering halftime.
 
Montreat proved to be the better shooting side through one frame thanks to its 41.2 percent effort from the floor (14-34 FG) and 37.5 percent showing from deep (3-8 3-pt FG). Columbia International failed to connect on any of its five 3-point tries, and it made one fewer shot than its counterpart despite the same number of chances. Rivera, who was one of seven Cavaliers to score in the first half, paced all players with 10 points prior to the intermission. Meanwhile, Barnwell collected a team-high five rebounds.
 
Quick baskets on its first two possessions handed CIU a 37-36 lead, its first advantage since 2-0 in the contest's initial minute. That lead change ended up being the first of five in the second half's opening 3:31. Keller and Rivera each took the lead right back for the Cavs before the Rams reclaimed the edge on the ensuing trips down the floor.
 
Riding momentum, Columbia International scored on nine of its first 11 possessions in the frame, creating a 53-46 advantage in the process. Jamiel Wright did his best to keep pace with the hosts as he proved responsible for a stretch of eight Cavalier points, but the Rams managed to match Wright and then some, growing the lead out to 63-53 with 6:06 left in regulation.
 
Michael Erbeck gave the Cavs life in the closing minutes by rattling off 10 points across a 3:04 span, which slashed the deficit to a single point (69-68). Mills later hit a triple with 27 seconds remaining that once again brought the visitors within one at 73-72.
 
With seven seconds to go, Keller capped off the comeback with a game-tying shot from deep that knotted the score at 75; however, Montreat's elation ended abruptly when CIU banked a buzzer-beater off the glass and in for the 77-75 AAC win on its home floor.
 
Columbia International shot 50.0 percent in the second half and hit four of its 10 3-point tries in the frame to end the evening at 43.8 percent overall (28-64 FG) and 26.7 percent from deep (4-15 3-pt FG). The Rams also shot an efficient 17-for-21 (81.0 percent) at the free-throw line. On the other side, the Cavaliers once again shot 14-of-34 across the latter 20 minutes to finish at 41.2 percent (28-68 FG). Montreat made seven of its 16 3-point attempts (43.8 percent) and committed three fewer turnovers (8-5) than its opponent, but CIU owned a 45-38 edge on the glass.
 
Keller led the visitors with 14 points, while Rivera (12 points), Erbeck (12 points) and Mills (11 points) also scored in double figures. Barnwell hauled in a team-best 10 boards, while five different Cavs notched an assist in the defeat.
 
The Montreat men's basketball team returns to McAlister Gymnasium on Saturday for a conference matchup versus Johnson University (Tenn.). Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. in Montreat, N.C.