SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The King University men's basketball team nearly handed Converse University their first defeat in the Conference Carolinas opener for the Tornado on Saturday. The contest was played within five points until the final minutes when the Valkyries went on a run to escape with the 74-70 win.
THE BASICS
FINAL: Converse 74, King 70
LOCATION: Tom and Tracy Hannah Gym; Spartanburg, S.C.
RECORDS: King 2-5, 0-1 Conference Carolinas; Converse, 8-0, 2-0 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- The opened 20 minutes was tight the entire way as neither team led by more than five points in the half.
- In the period, there were five ties and 16 lead changes as the teams went back-and-forth, both shooting over 50 percent.
- King shot 51.6 percent from the floor in the half and 41.7 from three while Converse shot 55.6 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three-point range in the opening half.
- King jumped out to a 7-2 lead behind the game's first basket from Mikhail Pocknett, a Kenny Turner basket and Jordan Akal triple in the opening two minutes.
- Converse came back with an 8-2 run to take a 10-9 lead before the teams traded baskets.
- Akal drilled back-to-back triples to turn a 14-11 deficit into a 17-14 Tornado lead.
- King held that advantage until the Valkyries went on a 5-0 run to take their largest lead of the half at 26-22 midway through the period.
- King came back with back-to-back Myles McCrary baskets to even the score before Cam George gave the Tornado the lead with a layup.
- An Amarius Beasley triple and Pocknett free throw gave King a 38-36 lead in the final minute before a Converse layup in the final seconds evened the score at 38 at the break.
Second Half
- The defenses dug in throughout the second half as each team shot under 40 percent in the final 20 minutes.
- Converse held the advantage for the majority of the half, but neither team led by more than three points until the final minute.
- Eli Elston started the second half with a triple for the Tornado as King held the lead for the first five minutes.
- King later led 49-47 following a Satchel Love free throw, but the Valkyries responded with a 5-0 run to take the lead.
- Seth Cullen evened the score with a triple with nine minutes remaining, but Converse again responded.
- George then came up with consecutive triples for the Tornado, evening the score at 58 with seven minutes remaining.
- The score was then tied at 60 and 62 before Converse scored seven straight points, five coming at the free throw line to take a 69-62 lead with 1:40 remaining.
- Converse then gained the largest lead of the game be either team at 72-64 with 45 seconds remaining, but King didn't give up.
- The Tornado pulled back within four twice, but it wasn't enough as Converse closed out the 74-70 win at the free throw line.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- In the contest there were 23 lead changes and the score was tied nine times.
- The Tornado shot 43.8 percent from the floor and 37.5 from three-point range.
- Pocknett led the Tornado with 14 points and six rebounds.
- Akal added 11 points while Turner and George chipped in with 10 points apiece.
- Turner added a team-high seven rebounds.
FOR THE FOES
- Converse shot 48.1 percent from the floor and 26.7 percent from long range.
- The Valkyries were led by 21 points, five rebounds and six assists from Edo Buffo.
- Uzziah Dawkins added 18 points and six rebounds.
- Earl Burgess III added 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
UP NEXT
- King returns home to take on UNC Pembroke on Wednesday afternoon. Tipoff in the Student Center Complex is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
- Converse travels to Belmont Abbey College on Wednesday night.
