ANDERSON, S.C. --- Randall Shaw poured in a game-high 26 points in leading the Anderson University men's basketball team to an 84-71 South Atlantic Conference win over Tusculum College Monday night at the Abney Athletic Center.
The Trojans (6-6, 4-2 SAC) used a 19-5 run in the first half to rally from an eight point deficit to the Pioneers (5-5, 3-3 SAC). Anderson would utilize a 16-2 spurt in the second half to put the game away as the Trojans move into a three-way tie for second place in the league heading into the Christmas break.
The Trojans shot 52 percent from the floor on the night, including 10-of-22 from three-point territory (46%). Tusculum was limited to a season-low 35 percent shooting, including 7-of-28 from beyond the arc (25%).
For a second straight game, Tusculum placed all five starters in double-digit scoring, led by Kendall Patterson who finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Chase Mounce accounted for 12 points and eight rebounds, while the trio of Cory Fagan, Ronnie Baylark and Zach Davis posted 10 markers apiece.
The Pioneers scored the first four points of the game and jumped out to a 19-11 advantage at the 13:06 mark of the opening period, a run capped off by a Baylark three-pointer.
Anderson answered with eight straight points to tie the game at 19-19, including five from Jeremy Bouton. With the score knotted at 24-24, AU scored six in a row, including a Shawn Benard lay-up and back-to-back buckets from Shaw as the Trojans led 30-24 with 6:38 left before halftime.
Anderson pushed the lead out to 41-30 before the Pioneers scored the final five points of the half, including a Keaton Dotson trey and a Patterson fast-break layup as the Trojans took a 41-35 lead into the locker room.
Anderson moved out to a 10-point lead on two occasions early in the second half, including 50-40 with 16:17 to go.
The Pioneers trimmed the deficit to 55-50 after a Baylark lay-up with 12 minutes left on the scoreboard. But over the next three minutes, the Trojans went on a 16-2 run, including a four-point play by Shaw as AU took its largest lead of the game at 71-52 with 8:59 left on the clock.
The Pioneers cut the Anderson lead to a dozen with seven straight points including a Trey Blevins three-pointer and a pair of Fagan free throws as TC trailed 73-61 with 5:56 remaining.
The Trojans pushed the lead back to 15 on two occasions down the stretch, both coming on dunks from Luke Musselwhite and Shaw. TC made one last push with five straight points from Mounce as the visitors trailed 81-71 with 52 seconds to go. But that would be as close as Tusculum would get as Anderson captured the victory.
Boynton and Benard tallied 13 points each for the Trojans, while Bouton finished with 11 points, shooting 4-for-4 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from three-point land.
Anderson out-scored the Pioneers in the point 34-26 and held a 17-14 advantage in bench scoring. The two teams tied in turnovers with 11 each, but the Trojans outscored TC 16-6 on the opponent's miscues.
Tusculum out-rebounded the Trojans by a 46-40 margin, including 16-6 on the offensive glass. Fagan led all players as he hauled in a career-high 10 rebounds in the losing effort.
Fagan connected on a three-pointer in his 26th consecutive game, which matches the school record established by former All-SAC guard Pat Compton, who achieved the feat during the 2000-2001 campaign from Nov. 20, 2000 – Feb. 27, 2001.
Tusculum returns to action on Dec. 30 when they host Southeast Region foe Belmont Abbey at Pioneer Arena for a 7 p.m. contest. Belmont Abbey defeated the Pioneers 94-84 last month in the season's first encounter.
