TOCCOA FALLS, GA.|    The Truett McConnell men's basketball team opened the 2017-18 campaign with a 108-76 victory Tuesday night at Toccoa Falls College. TMU's 108 points was a school record for most points scored in a regulation game as a four-year NAIA school. The previous record was 103 points scored in a 104-103 loss at Young Harris College on Feb. 13, 2012. The 108 points was the third highest total in the program's history as a four-year NAIA school. The two higher scores were 111 points in an overtime win over Belhaven University on Nov. 19, 2010, and 120 points in a double-overtime win over St. Andrews University on Feb. 10, 2016.

"It's nice to be 1-0 at the end of the night instead of 0-1. Of all the games each season, I am always nervous about the first game, because I am never sure how we will react. So it was nice to get off to a good start."
"Toccoa always has a rowdy crowd, so I was glad to see our guys overcome that and build up an early lead. We played with a lot of energy and attacked their press well. We also generated a lot of deflections defensively, which we converted into transition baskets," stated by Head Coach Jon Yeh. 

Starting the new season, TMU ran the score up at the beginning of the game 8-0 while Jacob Booke contributed six of the first eight points. The Bears controlled the game start to finish dominating offensively and defensively around the basket with a total of 51 rebounds for the night. 
 
The Bears had 5 players finish in double figures against the Eagles. Senior David Campbell JR. lead TMU with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Right behind Campbell racking up the points is Senior Mario Westbrooks who finished the night with 17 points and 7 rebounds. Other top scorers for the bears are Christian Davis (16), Jacob Booke (15), and Filipe Goncalves (10). The men dominated offensively with a 30 point lead for more than fifteen minutes of the game. The 32-point spread was the second greatest margin of victory in school history as a four-year NAIA school, trailing only a 34-point victory (94-60) over Atlanta Christian College on Jan. 25, 2011.

 The Bears will look to make it two-in-a-row when they take on Welch College home on Friday, November 3, at 8 p.m. after the women's game in the Bear Cave.