BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University men's basketball team turned in one of their best shooting performances of the season on Saturday against the University of Mount Olive. However, it wasn't enough as the Trojans edged the Tornado 89-83 in the Conference Carolinas tilt.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Mount Olive 89, King 83
LOCATION: Student Center Complex, Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 5-13, 2-8 Conference Carolinas; Mount Olive 5-14, 4-5 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- Seth Cullen scored the first six points of the contest, giving King a 6-0 lead and forcing a Mount Olive timeout two minutes and 30 seconds into the contest.
- A Kenny Turner dunk later gave King a 10-3 lead as the teams started to trade scores.
- Mikhail Pocknett later scored five straight points to give King a 19-10 lead eight minutes into the contest.
- However, Mount Olive went on a 12-2 run, including eight straight to take a 22-21 lead before a layup from Satchel Love and jump shot from Cullen gave the Tornado a 25-22 lead.
- A Jordan Akal triple later gave King a 28-24 lead, but Mount Olive responded with eight straight points to regain the lead before an Akal fastbreak dunk.
- The King deficit grew to six at one point and Mount Olive led 42-37 at the half following a pair of free throws in the waning seconds.
Second Half
- Mount Olive gradually pulled away in the first 10 minutes of the second half, and led 61-51 before the Tornado started to chip away at their deficit.
- Pocknett drilled a triple to pull King within 63-58 with 11 minutes remaining before the Tornado deficit was stretched back to eight points.
- Pocknett then made two free throws before consecutive triples from Cam George and Akal evened the score at 66.
- An Akal free throw gave King a 67-66 lead, but Mount Olive came back with nine straight points to take a 75-67 lead with six minutes remaining.
- The Tornado later scored five straight points, all by Pocknett as a three-point play pulled King within 79-77 with three minutes remaining.
- However, the Trojans knocked down a three-point basket to stretch their lead back to five points.
- An Amarius Beasley steal led to a Pocknett fastbreak dunk that cut the King deficit to 84-83 with 44 seconds remaining.
- However, basket and three free throws for Mount Olive iced the 89-83 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- King shot 50.0 percent from the floor in each half, marking their third best shooting performance of the season.
- Pocknett posed a double-double with 28 points and 11 rebounds.
- Tuner posted a double-double as well with 16 points and 14 rebounds.
- Akal added 17 points and four rebounds.
- Cullen chipped in with 11 points, and three assists.
- Beasley matched Cullen with three assists.
FOR THE FOES
- Mount Olive had six scorers in double figures, led by 21 points from Shane Peterson.
- Redford Dunton added 17 points and 10 rebounds.
- Brent Randleman and Aaron Murphy accounted for 12 points and five rebounds each.
- Trey Nelson and Josiah Watkins chipped with 10 points apiece.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The 14 rebounds for Turner is a season-high.
- The double-double for Turner is his fifth of the season and third straight.
- The double-double for Pocknett is his fifth of the season.
- King posted two double-doubles in a game for the seventh time in the NCAA Division II era and second time this season.
- That marks the second time that has happened twice in the same season, the other came in 2018-19.
- Turner and Pocknett also posted double-doubles on Monday at Southern Wesleyan University.
UP NEXT
- King travels to rival Lees-McRae College on Tuesday night. Tipoff from Banner Elk, N.C. is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
- Mount Olive travels to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday
