Jefferson City, Tenn. – The King University men's basketball team opened its 2025–26 season on the road Saturday night, falling 108–71 to Carson-Newman inside Holt Fieldhouse. The Tornado (0–1, 0–0 Conference Carolinas) showed flashes of offensive balance and resilience, but the Eagles (1–0, 0–0 SAC).
First Half
Carson-Newman came out firing, shooting nearly 64 percent from the field and knocking down nine three-pointers in the opening half to build a 62–29 lead. King battled to stay in the game, with
Lenier Pocknett scoring seven points before the break and
Xavier Betancourt adding six.
Second Half
The Tornado found more rhythm offensively after halftime, scoring 42 points and connecting on five three-pointers. Pocknett led the charge with 19 points overall, while
Jordan Akal and
Jeremias Berchal each added double figures.
Luis Acevedo provided a spark off the bench with 10 points, including two three-pointers.
Despite Carson-Newman's continued efficiency, King showed fight in the second half, improving its shooting percentage and spreading the scoring across the roster.
Match Highlights
Final Score: Carson-Newman 108, King 71
Score by Half: King 29–42 | Carson-Newman 62–46
King Leaders
Looking Ahead
The Tornado men's basketball team will be back in action on
Sunday, November 16, taking on
UVA Wise at
1:00 p.m. ET. The game will be played in
Jefferson City, Tenn., as part of the early-season slate.
