WISE, Va. – Playing their second game in less than 24 hours, the King University men's basketball team fought back from an early deficit to hold a lead late against regional rival Carson-Newman University. However, the Eagles made a three-point basket in the final 30 seconds and held off a late Tornado rally to escape with the 74-72 win.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Carson-Newman 74, King 72
LOCATION: Prior Center; Wise, Va.
RECORDS: King 0-2; Carson-Newman 2-0
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- King held the advantage in the early going of what was a tight opening 20 minutes.
- Cam George and Amarius Beasley gave the Tornado a 4-0 lead with baskets in the first two minutes.
- Beasley added a fast break layup to give King a 6-0 lead three minutes into the contest.
- Carson-Newman pulled within three, but Beasley answered with a triple, extending the King lead to 14-8.
- However, the Eagles scored six straight points to even the score before Mikhail Pocknett knocked down a three-point basket.
- Carson-Newman grabbed their first lead of the game with eight minutes remaining in the half, but Satchel Love evened the score with a jump shot.
- The teams traded points before a George triple gave King a 26-23 lead with three minutes remaining until halftime.
- Carson-Newman then scored eight straight points and closed the half on a 10-1 run to take a 33-27 lead at halftime.
Second Half
- After Carson-Newman's Nick Brenegan and King's George exchanged triples to start the half, the Eagles took a 40-32 lead before King started to work their way back.
- Pocknett converted a three-point play before another George triple pulled King within two.
- Pocknett then scored nine straight Tornado points, evening the tally at 47 before a Seth Cullen triple gave King a 50-48 lead.
- The King defense then dug in, holding the Eagles scoreless for more than six minutes in the middle of the half as King went on a 6-0 run to take a 59-51 lead.
- Eli Elston, Myles McCrary and Beasley all made free throws on the spurt.
- A McCrary layup gave King their largest lead of the game at 63-53 with seven minutes remaining.
- The Tornado held that advantage twice more, the second time at 67-57 with five minutes remaining before the Eagles started to chip away.
- Carson-Newman scored eight straight points before a pair of Pocknett free throws gave King a 69-65 lead.
- The Eagles tied the score at 69 with two minutes remaining before George connected from long range, putting the Tornado back ahead with 1:44 remaining.
- Carson-Newman answered with a basket to pull within on before the Eagles took a 74-72 lead on a Brenegan triple with 23 seconds remaining.
- The Tornado had three chances to even the score in the final 10 seconds with a pair of offensive rebounds, but weren't able to connect on any as Carson-Newman took the contest 74-72.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Tornado forced 17 Carson-Newman turnovers, while only committing eight turnovers. King scored 29 points those turnovers.
- Pocknett led the Tornado with 17 points while George followed with 14 points and five rebounds. He went 4-for-7 from long range.
- McCrary added 13 points and a team-high six rebounds.
- Beasley and Jordan Akal handed out five assists each.
FOR THE FOES
- Carson-Newman shot double the amount of free throws as the Tornado did, making 16 more from the charity stripe.
- Brenegan led the Eagles with 21 points while Jack Browder followed with 17 points and eight rebounds.
- John Zhao and Ben Beeker added 10 points apiece with Zhao snaring five rebounds and Beeker pulling in eight boards.
UP NEXT
- The Tornado are in action again on Thursday at regional rival Emory & Henry College. Tip from Emory, Va. is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
- Carson-Newman returns to the court on Saturday at home against Southern Wesleyan University.
