BRISTOL, Tenn. –
Michael Mays scored 37 points as the King University men's basketball team closed the regular season with a 96-86 win over Southern Wesleyan, clinching a spot in the 2023 Atlantic Casualty Insurance Conference Carolinas tournament.
THE BASICS
FINAL: King 96, Southern Wesleyan 86
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 7-21, 6-14 Conference Carolinas; Southern Wesleyan 5-23, 5-15 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- Southern Wesleyan took an early lead, scoring the first two buckets of the game before eventually extending their lead to 23-13 with 10:55 to play.
- Darron Howard hit a three, after which Mays drove to the basket, made the jumper and drew the foul. He would hit the ensuing free throw to cut the lead to 25-19.
- The Warriors took a 36-26 lead with 7:00 left on the clock, which quickly evaporated, with Mays accounting for the next four points before Malik Payton drilled back-to-back threes to bring King to within 36-33.
- Despite hovering within striking distance, the Tornado were unable to tie the game during the remainder of the half, with the Warriors taking a 46-42 lead into halftime.
Second Half
- King would score the first five points of the half, with Lamberth hitting a jumper before Mays knocked down a three, handing King their first lead of the night, 47-46.
- The Tornado would take another lead at 51-49 with 16:25 left, a lead that they would refuse to relinquish.
- After building the lead to 64-55, the Tornado were able to take the lead into double digits with 7:42 left when Myles McCrary hit a pair of free throws.
- Southern Wesleyan was able to close the gap to one point with 2:31 left, but Jaylen Bernard hit a triple with 2:13 left, getting King a bit of breathing room.
- That would start a 10-2 King run that saw the lead turn into 93-84 when Howard hit a couple of free throws with just under a minute left.
- The Tornado would go 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the final minute, securing a win and a spot in the conference tournament.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Mays finished with 37 points, just one shy of his career-high. This is the seventh time this season he has scored 30+ points, and the third in his last four games.
- McCrary also had a career-high with 17 points, along with eight rebounds.
- Malik Payton added 11 points, while Jaylen Bernard contributed 10.
FOR THE FOES
- Tyrin Hollis has 25 points, while Jamal Edmonson had 20 and Raevon Allen scored 10.
- Edmonson also led the Warriors in rebounding with seven, six of which came on the defensive glass.
UP NEXT
- The Tornado will open the 2023 Atlantic Casualty Insurance Conference Carolinas Tournament as the no. 10 seed Sunday night. They will face no. 7 Francis Marion at 5 p.m., with the winner facing no. 6 Converse Monday night.
