NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia -- Sterling Charles had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Tae Allen had 21 points and 11 assists in Ferrum College's non-conference men's basketball overtime loss to Berry College this afternoon. The 83-79 loss was a first-round game at the CNU Captains Shootout, hosted by Christopher Newport University at the Freeman Center.

RECORDS
Berry (7-5)
Ferrum (9-2)

THE BASICS
Ferrum came out hot, opening a 12-point lead. Allen's layup made it 12-2, then Charles Tart III made a steal and converted a fast break layup to make it 14-2 just five minutes into the game.

Berry used a 30-24 run over the next 12 and a half minutes, ending with Braxton Benham's three-pointer from the right side to trim the lead to 36-32 with 2:36 left in the first half. Benham was fouled while shooting a three-pointer with no time left on the clock to end the first half, and sank two of three free throws to cut the lead to 42-36 at the break.

Parker Godwin's layup at 16:27 in the second half put Berry out in front 45-44, but Ashton Troutman's layup at the other of the floor put Ferrum back on top 46-45. It was nip and tuck the rest of the way in the second half, with Benham's layup at the 1:07 mark tying the score at 75-75 and sending the game into overtime.

Benham broke the ice in overtime with a pull-up jumper at 4:22, then drilled a three-pointer on Berry's next trip down the floor to take a 80-75 lead. Ferrum got a pair of free throws from Abel-Rivera and a layup by Allen, but the Vikings outscored Ferrum 8-4 in overtime to hold on for the win.

KEY STATS
Berry: Benham 33 pts; Isaac Martin 20 pts; Godwin 12 pts, 10 reb
Ferrum: Charles 21 pts, 9 reb; Allen 21 pts, 11 asst; Abel-Rivera 12 pts; Tart 10 pts

NEXT UP
Coach Patrick Corrigan's team will play Misericordia University in the consolation game Monday, December 30, at 3:00 p.m.