CENTRAL, S.C. – The King University men's basketball team put together one of their best performances of the season on Monday at Southern Wesleyan University.
Mikhail Pocknett and
Kenny Turner led the way with a pair of double-doubles while the Tornado posted a season-high shooting percentage and landed five scorers in double figures in the 82-66 victory.
THE BASICS
FINAL: King 82, Southern Wesleyan 66
LOCATION: Historic Tysinger Gymnasium; Central, S.C.
RECORDS: King 4-12, 1-7 Conference Carolinas; Southern Wesleyan 3-16, 2-7 Conference Carolinas
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
- Turner scored the game's first four points to get the Tornado off to a hot start.
- The early going was tight with six ties and six lead changes as the last tie game at 24.
- Seth Cullen started a 9-0 with five straight points, including a three-point basket.
- King took a 33-24 lead with four minutes remaining following baskets from Pocknett and Turner to cap the spurt.
- The teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half as King held a 40-33 lead at the break.
- King shot 46.9 percent from the floor and went 9-for-13 from the free throw line while the Warriors shot 36.4 percent from the floor.
Second Half
- King scored the first seven points of the half as a Turner triple gave the Tornado a 47-33 lead in the opening two minutes.
- Following a Warrior basket, the Tornado went on a 9-3 as Jordan Akal started the spurt with a triple.
- A Cullen layup gave the Tornado a 58-38 lead before the Warriors went on a run.
- Southern Wesleyan scored eight straight to pull within 58-46 before a Turner layup and a pair of Akal free throws stretched the King lead back to 62-46 with 11 minutes remaining.
- The Tornado then held off the Warriors for the remainder of the contest as King had an answer for each run the Warriors tried to make.
- Southern Wesleyan pulled within 10 twice down the stretch, but King scored the final six points to ice the 82-66 victory.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- King shot 50.9 percent from the floor, their best shooting percentage of the season.
- The Tornado defense held Southern Wesleyan to a 33.3 field goal percentage, the second lowest for a Tornado opponent this season.
- Pocknett led the Tornado with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Turner added 18 points and 10 rebounds.
- Cullen accounted for 14 points and eight rebounds while Akal added 14 points.
- Amarius Beasley chipped in with 10 points.
FOR THE FOES
- Aaron Tims led Southern Wesleyan with 15 points and seven rebounds.
- Che Smith added 11 points and seven rebounds.
- Marcus Long chipped in with 11 points and Reco Hallmon accounted for 10 points.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The double-double for Pocknett is his third straight and fourth of the season.
- The double-double for Turner is his second of the season.
- The last time King had five scorers in double figures was the final game of last season against Francis Marion University.
UP NEXT
- King returns home to facer Erskine College on Wednesday night. Tipoff from the Student Center Complex is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
- Southern Wesleyan hosts Belmont Abbey College on Saturday.
