HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Anderson men's basketball team got off to a slow start and it proved to be too much to overcome, as the Trojans dropped a 72-62 decision to Coker in South Atlantic Conference action, Saturday afternoon at the DeLoach Center.
Anderson (5-17, 3-13 SAC) opened a two-game conference road swing with its ninth consecutive setback, while Coker improved to 7-13 overall and 3-13 in conference action. The Cobras avenged an early-season 10-point loss to the Trojans and snapped a six-game losing skid.
Sophomore guard Maurice Howard led the Trojans with 18 points,
while going a prefect 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Junior
center Rakish Taylor posted his eighth double-double of the season
with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
JaQuez Montley led four Cobras in double figures with 20 points,
with Donte Samuels, Aubrey Daniel and Jake Barrett each adding 12
points apiece.
The Trojans outscored Coker, 32-20, in the paint and converted 12 Cobra turnovers into 17 points, but lost the rebounding battle by a six-rebound margin.
The lead changed hands three times in the opening five minutes of the game, with Coker jumping out to a 23-8 lead midway through the first half. Taylor sparked an 11-2 run by Anderson and Tre' Fields netted five of his nine points on the day to trim the deficit to 25-19 with less than six minutes left in the half.
But the Cobras countered with a 15-5 surge to push back out to a 16-point halftime advantage and the Trojans were unable to get any closer than seven in the final 20 minutes.
Anderson is slated to wrap up the two-game road swing at
Carson-Newman on Wednesday. Tip-off in Jefferson City, Tenn. is
scheduled for 8 p.m.
