GREENWOOD, S.C. – Freshman guard Luke Denbow poured in a game-high 25 points and junior forward Mack Burgett posted his first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, but Lander took a late lead and held off the Trojans, 81-76, in men's basketball action, Friday night at Finis Horne Arena.
"We have come a long way since October 15th, but still have a long way to go.," said Anderson head coach Jimmie Williams. "I was proud of our bench tonight. They gave us a chance. It was tough losing Myles (Jenkins) for the second half tonight after getting hit in the face, but it was good to see Jalen, Satchel and Deakin ready for an opportunity. At the end of the day we just didn't get the stops we needed down the stretch. Thankfully, we get to get back at it tomorrow against a really good Flagler team. Adversity is the atmosphere for the activation of faith. We'll be ready. We'll keep growing. I love this team."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
In the season opener for both teams, Luke Denbow was 8-of-17 from the field, pulled down six rebounds and dished out a game high five assists. Burgett matched his career-high with his 13 points and the Richmond, Va., native's 10 rebounds were shooting from the e also a game high.
Sophomore guard Myles Jenkins added 12 points on 5-of-8 accuracy from the field and pulled down seven rebounds in less than 21 minutes of action. Sophomore guard Jacksen Greco netted eight points and grabbed five boards, with freshman forward Deakin Pereira also recording five rebounds and four points.
Grad student Jaylon Pugh led five Bearcats in double figures with 18 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
The Trojans came up empty on their first three possessions, while Lander was just 1-for-4 from the field in the frenetic opening minutes, but the Bearcats did manage to connect on three of their first five 3-pointers and jumped out to a 9-3 lead less than three minutes into the game.
But the Black and Gold answered with 10 unanswered points in less than two minutes, with senior Mason Carver's first trey of the half capping the outburst and giving AU a 13-9 edge at the 15:03 mark. However, just as quickly, the Trojans committed three turnovers and misfired on three shots in the span of 75 seconds that allowed the Bearcats to score 10 straight points of their own and regain a 19-13 advantage with more than 12 minutes left in the first half.
Lander's run stretched into a 22-7 surge that gave the Bearcats a double-digit, 31-20, lead with 7:48 on the clock. After falling behind by a dozen (38-26) with less than five minutes to go before halftime, Luke Denbow sparked a run of seven straight points by the Trojans by nailing his lone 3-pointer of the night, with Burgett and Jenkins each adding baskets before connected on his third trey of the half just 33 seconds before halftime.
Second Half
Burgett scored AU's first six points of the second frame, while Luke Denbow tossed in the Trojans' final five points of a 17-7 run to open the half, as the Black and Gold took its first lead since the 14:28 mark of the first half, at 50-48.
Three minutes later, the Trojans took their largest lead of the night, at 56-50, only to see Lander respond by posting 11 consecutive points to grab a five-point lead. AU refused to go away and reclaimed a brief 64-63 advantage in a short jumper by Denbow. The one-point edge turned out to be the last lead of the night for AU, as Bearcat Chandler Lindsey gave LU the lead for good just 26 seconds later.
With the Bearcats leading by two possessions with just 46 seconds remaining, the Trojans were forced to foul and Lander was 3-for-4 from the free throw line down the stretch.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
The Trojans were 8-of-30 (26.7%) from beyond the arc, while Lander was 13-of-39 (33.3%) from long range.
NOTABLES
• Friday night marked AU's first appearance in Greenwood since the 2008-09 season.
• AU and Lander were meeting for just the eighth time since the 2008-09 campaign.
• Lander leads the all-time series, 12-5
• The Trojans slipped to 11-12 over 23 years in season-openers.
• AU fell to 11-10 in Conference Challenge matchups.
• Mack Burgett notched his first career double-double.
• The Trojans won the rebounding battle, 42-39.
• Anderson is making its ninth consecutive appearance and 11th overall appearance in a Conference Challenge among the three leagues that comprise the Southeast Region (South Atlantic Conference, Peach Belt and Conference Carolinas).
UP NEXT
The Trojans are slated to wrap up the Challenge by squaring off against Flagler for just the fourth time in school history, Saturday afternoon. Tip-off at Horne Arena is slated for 4:30 p.m.
