WILSON, NC--It would be easy to tell the AU Trojans mens basketball team that having the program's first winning season in seven years was a moral victory, but in their minds, losing to Conference Carolinas regular season champion Barton Bulldogs in the Semi-Final was not an option. The young up-start Trojans, who battled their way to a .500 record last year in conference play, competed this 08-09 season with one senior on the roster, and only underclassmen starting the majority of the season. The Trojans bounced back time and time again this year, bludgeoning their way to a 12-8 conference record and a 14-13 overall record. At the Abney Center in January, AU took the 07 national champ Bulldogs to the wire, only to lose a late lead and fall by 7. "Hey, we know we can play with the best," said assistant coach Will Monts after the early seson fixture. The Trojans did just that all seson long. But on Thursday night, the experienced Barton Bulldogs ended a fantastic run, as the Trojans fell 88-69 in Wilson, NC, losing a shot at a Conference Carolinas title and a bid to the NCAA Division II tournament. Bobby Buffaloe had a game high 26 on 8-13 shooting. The story of the night was turnovers, as the full court pressure of the Bulldogs proved to be too much. The Trojans turned the ball over 24 times and only manufactured 8 assists. Anderson fought back to within 5 at the half, but the Bulldogs owned the second half. Erskine upset Belmont Abbey, and the Trojans could have won and hosted the Conference Carolinas final; but being bitter about that would be as easy as calling the season a moral victory. One thing is certain: the ceiling for this team is very high. With the Trojans returning all starters, there is a very good chance the Conference Carolinas Champion will have to win in the Abney Center next year
![Download the AU Men's Basketball Media Guide](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
March 6, 2009
Download the AU Men's Basketball Media Guide
![TROJANS FINISH SEASON WITH BEST RECORD IN 7 YEARS](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a724.html_fqo0b.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
March 6, 2009
TROJANS FINISH SEASON WITH BEST RECORD IN 7 YEARS
![<b>TROJANS FIGHT OFF FALCONS--MAKE SEMI-FINALS</b>](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a722.html_mt5zb.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
March 5, 2009
<b>TROJANS FIGHT OFF FALCONS--MAKE SEMI-FINALS</b>
![<b>WEATHER DELAYS TROJAN PLAYOFF RUN</b>](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a721.html_xwqdw.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
March 3, 2009
<b>WEATHER DELAYS TROJAN PLAYOFF RUN</b>
![Trojans Finish Falcons; Finish with Winning Record](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a719.html_xznun.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 27, 2009
Trojans Finish Falcons; Finish with Winning Record
![Young, Boyd, and Neal honored by Conf Carolinas](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a720.html_xoot0.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 27, 2009
Young, Boyd, and Neal honored by Conf Carolinas
![Trojans fall at Coker](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a718.html_m6c37.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 25, 2009
Trojans fall at Coker
![Bulldogs bite Trojans](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a717.html_1myjd.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 21, 2009
Bulldogs bite Trojans
![SWEEP! Trojans Flunk Fleet AGAIN!](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a715.html_woyy5.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 18, 2009
SWEEP! Trojans Flunk Fleet AGAIN!
![Young shoots down Bobcats](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a716.html_91u01.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 18, 2009
Young shoots down Bobcats
![Trojans Use 3-Pointers to sink SAPC](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a714.html_x2z78.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 17, 2009
Trojans Use 3-Pointers to sink SAPC
![Trojans fall to conference leader Mount Olive](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a713.html_8scqj.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 8, 2009
Trojans fall to conference leader Mount Olive
![Trojans stumble at Limestone](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a712.html_o2m4k.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 5, 2009
Trojans stumble at Limestone
![Trojans lose Double OT Thriller](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a711.html_nlwnv.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
February 2, 2009
Trojans lose Double OT Thriller
![Trojans end the Crusade](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a710.html_k8yai.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 28, 2009
Trojans end the Crusade
![Bulldogs outlast Trojans](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a709.html_c6w7q.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 27, 2009
Bulldogs outlast Trojans
![Trojans Run Past Pfeiffer, 122-119](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 22, 2009
Trojans Run Past Pfeiffer, 122-119
![Shugart's Tip Knocks Out Knights](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 19, 2009
Shugart's Tip Knocks Out Knights
![Trojans Roll Over Coker, 89-72](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 19, 2009
Trojans Roll Over Coker, 89-72
![Trojans Take Down Queens, 82-74](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 14, 2009
Trojans Take Down Queens, 82-74
![Mount Olive Takes Off In Second Half To Beat AU](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 10, 2009
Mount Olive Takes Off In Second Half To Beat AU
![Young Leads Trojans Past Erskine](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 8, 2009
Young Leads Trojans Past Erskine
![Trojans Bounce Bobcats, 60-56](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 6, 2009
Trojans Bounce Bobcats, 60-56
![Gardner-Webb Survives AU Upset Bid](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
January 5, 2009
Gardner-Webb Survives AU Upset Bid
![Trull Named Player Of The Week](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a700.html_i3j4x.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 22, 2008
Trull Named Player Of The Week
![North Georgia Cruises Past Anderson](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 19, 2008
North Georgia Cruises Past Anderson
![Flames Burn Trojans](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 16, 2008
Flames Burn Trojans
![Trojans Gun Down Eagles, 117-109](/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/a697.html_cv41x.jpeg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 13, 2008
Trojans Gun Down Eagles, 117-109
![Trojans Pull Away From Saints](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 9, 2008
Trojans Pull Away From Saints
![Belmont Abbey Survives AU Rally](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
December 1, 2008
Belmont Abbey Survives AU Rally
![Mars Hill Beats AU](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 25, 2008
Mars Hill Beats AU
![Lander Edges Anderson, 79-70](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 19, 2008
Lander Edges Anderson, 79-70
![Trojans Open With Victory Over Tusculum](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 16, 2008
Trojans Open With Victory Over Tusculum
![Men's Basketball Team Opens At Home Saturday](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 13, 2008
Men's Basketball Team Opens At Home Saturday
![Trojans Drop Exhibition At Tennessee Tech](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
November 11, 2008
Trojans Drop Exhibition At Tennessee Tech
![Mount Olive Men No. 1 In Preseason Poll](/images/setup/thumbnail_default.jpg?max_width=280&max_height=160&crop=true)
October 16, 2008
Mount Olive Men No. 1 In Preseason Poll