Box Score BANNER ELK, N.C. – The King University men's basketball team opened the season with a win over UVa-Wise on Friday night at Lees-McRae College. The Tornado took the lead early as they took the contest 84-74 behind 34 points from Jordan Floyd.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 84, UVa-Wise 74
LOCATION: Williams Gymnasium; Banner Elk, N.C.
RECORDS: King 1-0, UVa-Wise 0-1
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- The Tornado started the season shooting hot from the floor with a 58.1 percent in the opening 20 minutes.
- King scored five straight points to open up a 15-9 lead seven in minutes into the contest as Blake Atwood highlighted the spurt with a triple.
- The Cavaliers fought back to pull within 31-28 with four minutes remaining, but Floyd and Atwood responded with consecutive three-point baskets for the Tornado.
- Floyd then scored six straight points, extending the Tornado lead to 43-32.
- However, the Cavaliers scored the final four points of the half to cut the King lead to 43-36 at the break.
Second Half
- UVa-Wise opened the second half scoring five of the first seven points to pull within 45-41, but Mike Salomon connected from long range.
- Later, a Brandon Lamberth triple followed by a James Brown bucket extended the Tornado lead to 55-43 five minutes into the half.
- The Tornado continued to extend their lead before Floyd gave King their largest advantage of the game at 67-49 with a layup midway through the second stanza.
- Down the stretch, UVa-Wise scored seven straight points to pull within 77-73 with 1:49 remaining, but Floyd answered with a bucket.
- Floyd then iced the 84-74 victory by scoring the final five points for the Tornado.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Floyd led the Tornado with 34 points, four rebounds and four assists.
- Salomon followed with 16 points, going 7-for-11 from the floor.
- Brown added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
- The Tornado shot 51.5 percent from the floor.
FOR THE FOES
- Kaeleb Carted led UVa-Wise with 20 points while Briggs Parris chipped in with 17 points.
- Eric Okenchi added 12 points.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The 34 points is two off of his career of 36 which he scored in 2018 at Lees-McRae.
UP NEXT
- King takes on Carson-Newman University at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at Lees-McRae.
- UVa-Wise faces the host Bobcats on Saturday afternoon.
