Saturday, February 16, 2008

 

PIONEERS BEAT CARSON-NEWMAN 88-74 IN SAC BATTLE

 

Kyle Moore                JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. --- Sophomore Kyle Moore poured in a game-high 26 points as the Tusculum men’s basketball team defeated Carson-Newman, 88-74 Saturday night at Holt Fieldhouse.  The Pioneers split the South Atlantic Conference season series with their in-state foes, while also recording its sixth straight win in Jefferson City.

 

Moore hit 11-of-18 shots from the floor to help the Pioneers (10-14, 4-8 SAC) pick up a key road win. Seniors Lavonti Jeter and Jordan Lear added 22 and 17 points respectively as TC was able to distance itself from C-N down the stretch.

 

C-N freshman Cameron Sharpe had 16 points to lead the Eagles, while fellow-freshman Kevin Hare posted 14 points and nine boards.

               

The Pioneers led by as many as 13 points in the first half, before having their lead cut to seven at the break, 44-37.

 

Tusculum pushed its lead out to a dozen at 55-43 on a jumper by Robert Troutman, before C-N answered with a 13-4 run, to cutting the score to 59-56 on junior Jesse McMurray’s only three of the game with 12:38 remaining in the game.

 

Tusculum answered with six straight points, including two free throws by sophomore Darren Hobbs and baskets by Jeter and sophomore Jimmy Boone.  The Eagles responded with seven straight markers and trimmed the deficit to 65-63 with eight minutes remaining after a lay-up by Hare.

                                            

The Pioneer erupted with a 15-3 spurt, including a Jeter three-point play and a three-pointer by Lear as Tusculum led 80-66 with 5:09 remaining

 

                C-N got as close at 10 (82-72) down the stretch, but Moore canned a 23-foot trey with 1:18 left as the shot clock expired to halt the rally.

 

Rebounding was one of the keys to the game. The Pioneers won the battle of the boards 42-32, and came up with a number of key offensive rebounds down the stretch.

 

                Tusculum shot a sizzling 60 percent for the night, including 15-for-24 in the second half (62.5%).  The Pioneer also dominated the inside game as TC outscored C-N 52-24 in the paint.  The Eagles, who have been averaging over 100 points per game in their last six outings, was held to 74 poitns on 40 percent shooting.

 

                The Pioneers return home to host Newberry College for an 8 p.m. contest at Pioneer Arena.

 

- TC -