Box Score BRISTOL, Tenn. – For the first time this year, the seventh ranked men's basketball team came up short when they hosted Conference Carolinas foe Emmanuel College on Thursday evening. The Lions held the Tornado offense down, and forced 21 turnovers as Emmanuel took the 71-59 victory.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Emmanuel 71, #7 King 59
LOCATION: Student Center Complex, Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 6-1, 2-1 Conference Carolinas, Emmanuel 6-1, 3-0 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams started out slow from the floor until Hunter LeVeau connected on a triple and Derick Pope followed with a bucket to give King an early 5-0 lead.
- Calvin Walker beat the shot clock to give King their largest lead of the game at 10-3 with a triple four minutes into the contest.
- King again led by seven at 14-7 before the Lions began to come back. Emmanuel scored eight straight points to take a 15-14 lead midway through the first frame.
- The Lion lead grew to seven in the final minute before Drew Standifer collected an offensive rebound and put it back to make the halftime score 34-29 in favor of Emmanuel.
- The Tornado made run to start the second half, evening up the score at 37-37 following a LeVeau layup and triple.
- King then took the lead at 39-37 on a tip-in from Dontae Campbell four minutes into the frame.
- The teams then went back-and-forth with King holding the upper hand until the final 10 minutes. Steven Guinchard and C.J. Good traded three-point baskets before the Lions scored five straight points to take a 54-49 lead with nine minutes left.
- LeVeau then added the next bucket to pull King back within three, but Emmanuel had an answer, scoring the next four points to extend the lead.
- King cut their deficit to 63-59 with 1:40 remaining, but the Lions answered, scoring the game's final eight points to take the contest 71-59.
- Pope led the Tornado with 22 points and 13 rebounds for the double-double. Eight of his rebounds came on the offensive end.
- LeVeau added 14 points and eight rebounds while Jackson chipped in with eight points.
FOR THE FOES
- The Lion defense held down the Conference Carolinas leading offense, holding King to their lowest point total and field goal percentage of the season. They also forced 21 Tornado turnovers.
- Guinchard led the Lions with 18 points, going 6-for-14 from three-point range.
- Kurtis Robinson and Zach Lillie both added 16 points apiece.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The 22 points and 13 rebound for Pope both set career-highs.
UP NEXT
- The seventh-ranked Tornado return to the court on Saturday when they host USC Aiken in the Student Center Complex on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 3:30 p.m.
- Emmanuel is in action again on Saturday when they host Middle Georgia State University.
