ANDERSON, S.C. – In their second home competition of the year, the Anderson University (8-8, 3-5 SAC) men's basketball team emerged in a victory over Emory & Henry (4-13,1-8 SAC) on Saturday, January 20.
Junior Austin Webb (South Point, Ohio) led the Trojans in scoring again as he was able to collect 23 points on the day with eight rebounds. Senior Mack Burgett (Richmond, Va.) closely followed Webb but fouled out with one minute left, ending with 21 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Freshman AJ Wright Jr. (Tampa, Fla.) led the Trojans in assists with 14 total, setting a new AU school record for assists in a game, and was one of six players to post double-digit points as well.
The first five minutes of play saw both teams performing evenly, with each approaching the double-digit mark. However, it was the Wasps who achieved this first, leading 10-9 at the initial media timeout. This was the end of their lead for the night as the Trojans continued to ramp up their offense over the next four minutes of action as they outscored the Wasps 9-2 over the next stretch to lead 16-12. Emory & Henry fought hard the remainder of the first, collecting 23 rebounds before the buzzer; however, the Trojans held their ground and led 53-40 going into the second half.
Anderson started the second half by holding a ten-point lead 61-51 through the first media timeout of the second half. A slight edge for the Trojans over the next stretch continued to open their lead as it ballooned to 14 points by the halfway point of the second stanza.
The Black and Gold continued to stymie every attempt by the Wasps to climb back into the contest with the Trojans and further extended their advantage to 20 points with just over four minutes to play at the final media timeout of the contest.
The Trojans held the lead throughout on all fronts, outranking the Wasps in both rebounds (17) and assists (13) in the final 20 minutes of the game. Anderson held the gap throughout that stretch and secured the win, 105-89.
The Trojans return to South Atlantic Conference play at 7:30 p.m. for a showdown at Abney Athletic Center on Wednesday, January 24 versus Lenoir-Rhyne.
