The Piedmont College men's basketball team picked up its biggest victory of the season tonight when the young Lions downed nationally-ranked Centre College on their home court on the opening day of the Papa John's/Country Hearth Inn Classic in Danville, KY.  Centre is ranked #18 in the lastest D3hoops.com national poll. 

After trailing at half 42-38, Piedmont would see the host Colonels extend their lead to a game high 11 points (62-51) with 11:13 remaining in the game.  PC would answer with an 18-2 run to take a 68-64 lead with four minutes remaining.  Centre would get as close as 78-75 with 0:23 remaining but PC's MICHAEL RUBIO iced the game with a pair of free throws. 

JUSTIN RUSH came off the bench to score a team-high 19 and teammate J.C. HEREBIA added 18 points on 7-9 from the floor and a team-high nine rebounds.  Sam Coppage (13) and Rubio (11) rounded out the Lions' double-figure scorers. 

On the evening PC held a decisive advantage from the free throw line making 24-29 compared to Centre's 10-14.  The Lions also out-rebounded Centre 40-34.  Centre entered the game with the nation's third best defense allowing teams a stingy 35.8% from the field, but the Lions' offense was able to connect on 52% of its shots from the floor on the evening. 

Danny Noll led Centre (7-2) with a game-high 23 on 7-14 from three.  PC forced Centre to take 38 three-point attempts on the night with the Colonels making 15. 

The win over a nationally ranked team is the first ever for the PC men's basketball team since going NCAA Division-III six seasons ago.  The Lions (3-7) have played eight of their first 10 games on the road and will finish the tough season-opening schedule tomorrow when the team faces off against Hanover College on the final day of the classic-style event.