Eagles fight hard, but come up short at TC, 83-74
Feb. 14, 2009
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College men's basketball team placed five players in double figures as the Pioneers defeated Carson-Newman College 83-74 Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Arena. The Pioneers (17-7, 9-4 SAC) have won eight of their last nine games to remain in first place in the South Atlantic Conference. Tusculum has won six in a row at home to improve its home record to 12-3, establishing a new Pioneer Arena record for most wins in a season (previous best was 11 in 2003-04).
Josh Bennett led all scorers with 19 points, shooting 8-for-11 from the floor and hauling in eight rebounds. Kyle Moore added 18 points, while Rob Troutman posted 16 points. Jimmy Boone and Taylor Hobbs scored 13 and 11 points, respectively as the Pioneers complete the season sweep over their in-state rivals. Ryan Troutman finished the day with six points, six rebounds and nine assists, while Boone was perfect on the day going 4-for-4 from the field and at the free throw line.
Bobby Guyton led the Eagles (6-17, 3-9 SAC) with 14 points, while Tray Okoth tallied a dozen points and Andrew Johnson finished with 10 markers in the loss. Kevin Hare and Jesse McMurray each scored nine points, all on three-pointers, while Darron Maxtion and Jordan Dixon added eight points apiece.
The Eagles jumped out of the gate scoring the first five points of the game on a three-pointer by Hare and a basket by Dixon. TC would answer with a 10-2 run that a Moore three-pointers and seven straight points by Boone as TC led 17-11 at the 11:38 mark.
Tusculum would lead by six later in the period at 30-24 with 4:25 left as the Eagles got three-pointers by Hare and McMurray over the next 47 seconds to knot the game at 30-30. C-N would increase would take the lead at 37-34 on a McMurray trey with 1:47 left in the half. TC would get the lead back just before the break thanks to a pair of free throws by Hobbs and a driving lay-up by Boone as the Pioneers led 38-37 at the intermission.
In the second half, TC used an 11-3 run to take a 54-46 lead, thanks to three buckets by Bennett with the last coming with 13:03 left in the game. C-N would use a 9-2 spurt to tie the game at 64-64 with 6:41 left, following a dunk by Guyton and a three-point by McMurray.
Tusculum would respond with eight unanswered points, including a three-pointer by Rob Troutman, a pair of free throws by Ryan Troutman and a three-point play from Bennett as TC led 72-64 with 4:46 left.
Carson-Newman would get as close as four (74-70) with 1:25 left, but the Pioneers made six straight free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Tusculum finished the game shooting 52.1 percent from the field, including 13-of-21 in the second half (61.9%). Carson-Newman shot 44.4 percent from the floor, but only 26.9 percent from three-point land, including 1-of-12 from beyond the arc in the second half (8.3%). Tusculum shot 26-for-32 from the line (81.3%), including 11-of-13 in the opening half (84.6%).
Saturday's contest was the 125th recorded meeting on the hardwood between the Pioneers and Eagles.
The Pioneers will be at Newberry College on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. league battle at Eleazer Arena. Carson-Newman will be at Brevard College Wednesday for an 8 p.m. game with the Tornados.
