BANNER ELK, N.C. – In what was a tight contest in a rivalry game, the King University men's basketball team came away with a win at Lees-McRae College on Tuesday night.
Eli Elston gave the Tornado the lead for the final time when he hit a triple with 25 seconds remaining as King topped the Bobcats 93-91.
THE BASICS
FINAL: King 93, Lees-McRae 91
LOCATION: Williams Gymnasium; Banner Elk, N.C.
RECORDS: King 6-13, 3-8 Conference Carolinas; Lees-McRae 12-8, 6-5 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- King got off to a hot start behind baskets from Jordan Akal and Kenny Turner.
- The Bobcats came back and took an 11-10 lead before the Tornado scored eight straight points.
- Mikhail Pocknett scored six points on the spurt that put the Tornado ahead 18-11.
- Amarius Beasley connected from long range to give King a 28-23 lead before Lees-McRae went on a run.
- The Bobcats scored 11 of the next 13 points to take a 34-30 lead with six minutes remaining in the half.
- A triple from Seth Cullen and a pair of free throws from Josh Jackson gave the lead back to the Tornado.
- The teams traded the lead down the stretch before the Tornado scored the final five points.
- Lees-McRae took a 44-41 lead before another Cullen triple and a pair of Pocknett free throws.
- King held a 46-44 lead at the break. King shot 45.9 percent from the floor while Lees-McRae shot 60.7 percent from the floor.
Second Half
- The second half was played within four points until the final two minutes with each team holding a four-point lead.
- A Kenny Turner layup gave the Tornado a 52-48 lead in the opening two minutes before the Bobcats worked their way back.
- Lees-McRae scored eight straight points to take a 56-52 lead before another Turner basket.
- In the middle of the half, King scored seven straight points to turn 61-57 deficit into a 64-61 lead. Pocknett scored the first three points before baskets from Beasley and Turner capped the spurt.
- The score was then tied six times over the next five minutes as the lead changed hands five times.
- The final lead change came as King went on a 9-3 run to take an 87-82 lead with three minutes remaining.
- Lees-McRae evened the score at 89 with 52 seconds remaining, but Elston answered with a triple on the other end with 25 seconds remaining to give the lead back to King.
- Akal then iced the 93-91 lead with a free throw with six seconds remaining.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Turner led the Tornado with 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
- Pocknett followed with 18 points and seven rebounds while going 10-for-14 from the free throw line.
- Cullen posted 15 points and six rebounds while Elston added 14 points.
- Akal chipped in with 10 points and four rebounds.
FOR THE FOES
- Rodney Smith led the way for Lees-McRae with 22 points, four rebounds and four assists.
- Nico Ashley followed with 17 points and seven rebounds.
- Jaylin Stewart added 16 points and six rebounds while Ja'Quavian Florence accounted for 13 points, five rebounds and four assists.
- Timon Jones chipped in with 11 points.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Turner posted his sixth double-double of the season and fourth straight.
UP NEXT
- King returns home to face nonconference foe Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte) on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.
- Lees-McRae hosts Young Harris College on Saturday afternoon.
