ANDERSON, S.C. – Anderson's Josh Livingston scored just one basket the entire night, but it proved to be a big one, as the 6-foot-8 forward dropped in the game-winning layup from the left side off an assist from guard Quin Nottingham with 2:50 on the clock to lift the Trojans past Coker, 67-66, in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action, Wednesday night at the Abney Athletic Center.
Anderson (4-5, 2-5 SAC) opened a two-game homestand by snapping a four-game losing streak, while Coker (2-7, 2-4 SAC) has dropped four of its last five decisions.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Forward Parker Dortch led all scorers with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and shared game-high rebounding honors by pulling down seven boards. Forward Jalen Hillery added 11 points of 4-of-8 shooting from the field, while nailing three of his six 3-point attempts. The native of Lawrenceville, Ga., grabbed four rebounds and swiped two steals.
Guard Quin Nottingham tallied 10 points and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. He handed out a game-high five assists and recorded three steals. Crosby James II also netted 10 points and dished out three assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
Freshman Myles Jenkins opened the game by scoring two of his seven points just 11 seconds into the contest and the Trojans held the lead for the next 29 minutes.
Anderson doubled up the Cobras, 12-6, on Jenkins' lone 3-pointer of the night with 13:29 left in the opening half and claimed a 14-6 advantage a minute later when Nottingham sank a pair of free throws. But the Cobras used a 10-3 surge to whittle the AU lead to just 17-16 midway through the half.
Dortch slowed Coker with a jumper in the paint and after the two teams traded baskets, the Trojans still led by three and two minutes later Satchel Hester Hillery sandwiched long 3-pointera around another jumper by Dortch and AU led by double figures (34-22) with less than two minutes left in the half.
Following a layup by the Cobras' Malcolm Kennedy, AU took its largest lead of the game, at 37-24, with 1:02 on the clock and took a 37-26 lead into halftime.
Second Half
The Trojans held a double-digit until the 15:57 mark, when Coker started steadily carving into the AU advantage.
With Anderson holding a 54-46 lead with 12:01 remaining, the Cobras netted eight quick points in 41-second span to knot the score at 54 apiece – the first deadlock of the game. Nearly two minutes later, Dortch broke the tie with a close basket and AU inched out to a 63-56 edge with less than seven minutes on the clock.
But the visitors countered by using a 10-2 run to claim their first – and only lead of the night – when senior guard Chandler Lindsey dropped in 1-of-2 free throws with less than three minutes left in the game. But the Cobras lead was gone five seconds later when Nottingham found Livingston for the game-winning layup with 2:50 on the clock and neither team was able to find the bottom of the net the rest of the way, as each squad traded multiple steals and missed shots down the stretch.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE NIGHT
The Trojans won the rebounding battle, 33-31, and pulled down 10 offensive rebounds.
NOTABLES
• The Trojans handed out 14 assists on the night – just one shy of their season-high, which came in the season-opener against Flagler.
• Anderson holds a 24-16 advantage in the overall series between the two programs.
• The Trojans have won six straight past Coker.
• The Trojans improved to 4-1 at home this season.
• AU improved to 16-7 vs. Coker at the Abney Center.
• The Trojans have connected on at least four 3-pointers in every game.
• The Trojans have recorded at least eight assists in five straight games.
• Parker Dortch has recorded at least four rebounds in each game.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will wrap up the two-game South Atlantic Conference homestand by playing host to Limestone, Saturday afternoon. Tip-off vs. the Saints at the Abney Athletic Center is slated for 4 p.m.
