[LeeCoUKFan]

Southwestern rallies past Rowan County

Southwestern went on a big run in the fourth quarter and stormed past Rowan County 67-57 in the Sweet Sixteen quarterfinals Friday afternoon in Rupp Arena.

Rowan County, last year’s state runner-up, used a 10-0 run of its own to take a 47-45 in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. But it was all Warriors after that.

Justin Epperson had 5 points and David Kapinga had 4 in a 13-0 run that gave Southwestern a 58-45 lead with 1:54 left.

Kapinga led the winners with 18 points. Justin Edwards had 15 and Cody Epperson, Justin’s brother, added 13.

The Warriors were 28 of 37 from the free throw line.

D.J. Townsend had 19 points for Rowan County. Jason Egan had 16 points. Townsend and Egan also had 4 three-pointers each.

Adam Wing, whose three-point shooting carried the Vikings to the state finals last year, didn’t have that magic touch this week. He was 0-for-12 from three-point range before finally making one late in the game against Southwestern. He had 5 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

Southwestern, in the state tournament for the first time in school history, advances to play the Trinity-Clark County winner in Saturday morning’s semifinals.