CLEVELAND, Ga. (Jan. 10, 2019) – After honoring senior Christian Davis for his 1,000th career point, the Truett McConnell University men's basketball team defeated Bryan College for their fifth Appalachian Athletic Conference win of the year (72-60). The Bears improved to 10-7, 5-6 AAC on the year while the Lions fell to 8-9, 5-6 AAC.
FIRST HALF DOMINATION | SECOND HALF FINISH
The Bears came out ready to play earning the first six points of the game. In fact, TMU held the Lions to just 25 points in the first half and never let up any kind of lead. Junior Darius Thrower drained a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the first half while fellow junior Kai Lambert started out the second half with a 3-pointer of his own. Though the Bears acquired all momentum, the Lions fought to ultimately outscore TMU by two points in the second half (33-35) but the Bears continued to push leads as large as 20.
Bryan was incapable of getting within single digits of TMU in the final 20 minutes of play.
TMU's defense held last season's AAC Freshman of the Year, EJ Bush, to 10 points. Bush averages 15.54 points a game. In fact, four of Bryan's top player average double-digit points a game but the Lions were only capable of having three players in double digits (12, 10 and 10) against TMU's defense.
LEADERS
Davis led with 20 points including five 3-pointers. Davis added seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lambert had the most impressive stat line of the night; 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.
Sophomore Calvin White followed with closely with 13 points, eight rebounds. Thrower added eight points and freshman Enocka Franky added six. Freshman Darius Tisby earned six rebounds and was credited three assists.
Davis leads the country in steals per game (2.875) and ranks fourth in total steals (46). The Bears as a group are currently ranked number five in NAIA DII in blocks per game (4.438).
UP NEXT
The Bears will be back on the road for some more AAC action on Saturday, Jan. 12, at Columbia International University.
