SALISBURY, N.C. - Junior guard Chandler Hash erupted for a career-high 38 points to lead Anderson past Catawba, 80-64, in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Goodman Gym.
Anderson (14-6, 10-2 SAC) claimed its second consecutive win and kept pace with Wingate at the top of the league standings. Catawba (7-13, 4-8 SAC) had its win streak halted at two games.
Hash scored 24 points in the decisive second half and was
10-of-15 from the field on the day, including 6-of-9 from beyond
the arc and was a perfect 12-of-12 from the charity stripe. The
6-foot guard also handed out two assists, blocked two shots and
recorded a steal. Senior guard Denzail Jones added 14 points and a
team-high four assists, while forward Bo Holston narrowly missed
his first double-double with the Black and Gold, tallying nine
points and recording a team-high 11 rebounds.
Catawba's Lee Martin and Vismantas Marijosius each scored 12
points, while freshman Elon Edwards added 11 points. Center Tyrece
Little recorded a game-high 13 rebounds.
Catawba jumped out to 11-2 lead - their largest of the game - in the opening four minutes, but Anderson rallied on the strength of a 26-11 outburst over the next 10 minutes to take a 28-22 edge on a 3-pointer by Hash with 6:19 left in the half. Junior forward Kyle Sledge sparked the surge with a layup and Hash posted 12 points, including three treys.
Catawba regained a brief, 36-33, lead on a 3-pointer by Martin,
but Denzail Jones evened the score at 36-36 apiece on a traditional
three-point play with two seconds remaining.
Hash ignited a 16-3 run with a triple at the 14:16 mark of the
second half to break open the close contest and Catawba could get
no closer than 11 points.
The Trojans return to the friendly confines of the Abney Center
for a two-game homestand, beginning with Tusculum on Wednesday and
closing with LMU on Saturday. AU defeated the Pioneers, 66-56 and
topped LMU, 67-66, on the road earlier this season.
