ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Freshman guard Randall Shaw poured in a game-high 31 points in his collegiate debut to help lead Anderson to a convincing, 81-69, win past Armstrong State in the 2015 South Atlantic Conference - Peach Belt Conference Challenge, hosted by Flagler Saturday night at the Flagler Gymnasium.

The newcomer from Greenville, S.C., helped make the head coaching debut of Jeff Brookman a success, as the Trojans overcame a 10-point first-half deficit and built a 66-47 lead with 8:09 remaining in the game. Fellow freshman Shawn Benard added 14 points for the Black and Gold in the season opener for both teams, while sophomore guard Maurice Howard shared game-high honors by dishing out four assists and chipping in nine points. Junior center Rakish Taylor was effective all night, dropping in nine points and pulling down a team-high seven rebounds, while handing out four assists in the first meeting in school history between the two programs.

Armstrong State held a 33-28 rebounding advantage and forced AU into 13 turnovers, but the Trojans were red-hot from the field, as the Black and Gold shot 56.3 percent (27-of-48) from the field.

The Pirates snapped an 11-11 deadlock with 15:41 on the clock in the first half by reeling off 10 unanswered points to claim a double-digit lead on two free throws from senior Shema Sabiiti. But Howard and freshman Jeremy Bouton ignited the Trojan rally with back-to-back layups, before Pirate junior Loren Hall boosted Armstrong State's lead back to 24-15 with a trey midway through the half.

Shaw then caught fire by scoring nine straight points for the Trojans by connecting on 4-of-6 from the field and capping the outburst with a 3-pointer that trimmed ASU's lead to just 26-24 with less than six minutes left in the opening half.

After Armstrong's Shaquiell Mitchell and AU's Alex Greisen traded layups, Shaw's steal and driving layup knotted the score for the fourth time, at 28 apiece, with 4:17 on the clock. A minute later, Griesen's lone trey of the contest gave the Trojans a lead they would not relinquish and AU carried a 37-34 lead into halftime.

In a second half that saw AU outscore the Pirates by four in the paint, the Trojans steadily built the 19-point lead, and while Armstrong State pulled within 10 with less than two minutes remaining, the Pirates would get no closer.

Anderson will get back in action quickly, as the Trojans are slated to square off against the host Saints on Sunday at 6 p.m.