ANDERSON, S.C. – Despite going scoreless for nearly the first seven minutes of the second half, the Anderson men's basketball was still within two possessions with less than three minutes remaining, but dropped a 71-61 South Atlantic Conference decision to Wingate, Saturday afternoon at the Abney Athletic Center.
Anderson (7-9, 4-8 SAC) suffered its fourth consecutive setback, while Wingate (13-4, 9-4 SAC) won its second straight outing and has claimed wins in five of its last six decisions.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior guard Crosby James II netted a team-high 16 points, while dishing out a pair of assists and swiping two steals. Forward Jalen Hillery scored 13 points and pulled down six rebounds, while freshman guard Myles Jenkins added 11 points and nearly posted his first career double-double after grabbing a career-high nine boards. The Lexington native also equaled a career-high with three steals. Forward Parker Dortch tallied 11 points and five rebounds on the afternoon.
Two-time SAC Player of the Week Jarren Cottingham led all players with 22 points, with Rashaard scoring 13 and Andreas Wilson adding 11.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
After Cottingham scored the opening basket of the contest, James sparked a 16-4 run by the Trojans over the next seven minutes that saw the Black and Gold grab a double-digit, 16-6, lead with 12:34 left in the opening frame. Wingate countered by getting as close as seven (18-11) before Hillery scored five straight for the Trojans, as they built their largest lead of the afternoon, at 23-11, with just more than seven minutes on the clock.
The Bulldogs battled back within one possession twice inside the final four minutes, but AU stood its ground and held a 33-28 advantage at the break.
Second Half
The Trojans' first half defensive efforts – holding Wingate to 30.0% field goal accuracy (12-of-40) – was pivotal, as AU struggled to get on track offensively early in the second half. The Black and Gold went 0-for-6 from the field and committed five turnovers in the opening six minutes of the second half and was unable to get on the scoreboard until Dortch sank a pair of free throws at the 13:26 mark and followed with a layup 23 seconds later.
On the other end, Wingate opened the frame by going 6-for-12 from the field and turned the five-point halftime deficit into a 41-33 lead with 14:06 on the clock and the Bulldogs led the rest of the way.
Still trailing by seven (48-41) midway through the final half, Rahim Jenkins ignited a brief 8-2 outburst that freshman Collin Mills capped with a pair of free throws that pulled AU within 50-49, but the Trojans were unable to wrestle the lead away from Wingate.
Less than two minutes later, the Trojans climbed back from a 59-54 deficit to within just three on a pair of James' free throws, but the 'Dogs quickly rebuilt a double-digit (66-56) edge behind seven unanswered points and held off the Trojans over the final three minutes.
STAT OF THE DAY
Wingate shot 30.0% in the first half, with AU shooting 30.8% in the second half.
NOTABLES
• Saturday afternoon's contest marked the halfway point of the Trojans' conference schedule.
• The Trojans and Bulldogs did not meet during last year's Covid-19 ravaged season, with Saturday's matchup marking their first matchup in nearly two years.
• The Trojans and Bulldogs have met 28 times since the 2001-02 season, with Wingate holding a 19-9 edge in the all-time series
• Wingate has won 12 of the last 14 matchups.
• The Trojans outshot Wingate, 40.4% to 38.7% from the field.
• Wingate outrebounded AU, 43-38, and grabbed 14 offensive boards.
UP NEXT
The Trojans wrap up their two-game South Atlantic Conference homestand when Mars Hill invades the Electric City on Wednesday. AU will be seeking to avenge an earlier 85-82 loss to the Lions in the Tar Heel State. Tip-off at the Abney Center is slated for 7:30 p.m.
