Box Score MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – Playing on the road in conference play is never easy, and the King University men's basketball team knew they were in for a battle when they traveled to #16 University on Mount Olive on Friday night. The Tornado jumped ahead early, but saw the Trojans open up a sizable lead in the second half. King came back in front of a packed Kornegay Arena, but couldn't grab the lead as the Trojans escaped with the 87-78 victory.
Mount Olive (17-2, 10-1 CC) scored the first bucket, but Logan Lyle sparked the offense with a three-point basket. Mack Owens and C.J. Good followed with back-to-back three-point baskets to make it a 9-0 run and give the Tornado their largest lead of the game at 9-2 two minutes in. However, The Trojans came back and gained a 13-11 advantage following a 7-0 run six minutes into the contest.
Drew Standifer ended the Mount Olive run with a triple to give King a lead before the teams started to trade points. Over the next six minutes, neither team led by more than three points until Mount Olive scored consecutive buckets to give the Trojans a 29-24 lead with eight minutes left in the half before LeVeau answered with a three-point basket for the Tornado.
Mount Olive stretched their advantage to 45-37 with 1:49 left in the first half before Standifer drilled a three-point basket. Mikquell Jackson collected an offensive rebound and got the put back as time expired in the half, making the score 45-42 in favor of the Trojans at the break.
Owens cut the King deficit to 49-46 early in the second half, but Mount Olive answered with a 9-0 run to take a 58-46 lead to five minutes into the half. The Trojans gained their largest lead of the game, 17 points at 73-56 with 11 minutes remaining before the Tornado offense started to heat up.
Hunter LeVeau drilled a jump shot followed by back-to-back triples to get King back within nine. King trailed by 11 when LeVeau connected on another triple and Jackson followed with a layup. Lyle then made three free throws, cutting the Tornado deficit to 79-75 with 6:21 remaining.
With 4:25 remaining, LeVeau struck again, drilling a three-point basket that made the score 79-78. However, the Trojans answered with a layup, and later they made a three-point basket as the shot clock expired to stretch their lead to 84-78 with 1:35 remaining. Mount Olive then iced the 87-78 win at the free throw line.
King shot 43.1 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from long range while Mount Olive shot 55.0 percent from the floor and 50.5 percent from three. The Tornado handed out 18 assists on 25 field goals while the Trojans dished out 28 helpers on 33 field goals.
LeVeau paced the Tornado offense with a career-high 28 points to go along with six rebounds. Lyle followed with 15 points, Jackson added 10 and Owens chipped in with nine.
King doesn't have long to dwell on the loss as they return to action on Saturday at Barton College. Tipoff from Wilson, N.C. is slated for 7:30 p.m.
