GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Trailing by just one with just over a minute left in the contest, the Anderson University (3-3, 0-1 SAC) men's basketball was unable to complete their comeback attempt in the late goings as they dropped their South Atlantic Conference opener on the road to Tusculum, 80-75.
Junior Jacksen Greco (Canton, Ga.) led the Trojans with 15 points on the day as one of four members of the Anderson squad to better the single digit mark. Sophomore Cole Middleton (Atlanta, Ga.) recorded 13, senior Mack Burgett (Richmond, Va.) tallied 12 and senior Garrett Denbow (Ashland, Ohio) was able to add 11 to the team total. Freshman AJ Wright Jr. (Tampa, Fla.) was able to corral five rebounds to go with his team-leading eight dimes. Middleton led the squad with seven boards.
The Trojans took the first lead of the game and were able to carry that to the first media timeout as they held the 13-8 advantage. The next four minutes of the contest were low scoring for the Pioneers as the Trojans were able to open their advantage to eight at 20-12, holding Tusculum to just four points over the stretch.
The next stretch was a similar story, but flipped on the scoreboard as this time the Trojans were only able to put two points on the board in comparison to the Pioneers eight as they closed the Anderson lead to just two at 22-20. However, Anderson was able to again get their offense going over the next four minutes of action as they were the only team to score, extending their advantage to ten. Tusculum caught fire in the final four of the opening half as they were able to score 11 points over the final time in comparison to just three for the Trojans as Anderson would maintain the 33-31 lead heading into the locker room.
Tusculum made quick work of gaining the advantage in the second half as they were able to tie the contest in the first minute and take the lead in the second. It took till the 13:35 mark of the second for the Trojans to tie the contest back up at 48 and were able to stretch their lead back out to three just a minute later.
The teams traded points back and forth over the final eight minutes of action but even though both teams were making baskets, the Pioneers began to pull away, leading by seven at the final media timeout of contest. Anderson continued to battle throughout the contest as they were able to bring the game back to within jut one point down the final stretch at 76-75, but four made free throws for the Pioneers closed out the contest without the Trojans scoring another point as they took the 80-75 win.
Anderson returns to the friendly confines of the Abney Athletic Center on Monday, November 4 as they welcome in the Falcons of Saint Augustine's for a 6:00 p.m. tip.
