COLUMBIA, S.C. (Jan. 2, 2020) – The Truett McConnell University men's basketball team traveled to Columbia International University for their first game of the 2020 season on Thursday evening. The Bears fell in a back and forth battle 78-74, which put TMU at 6-9, 2-7 AAC on the year. Last time they met, the Rams beat TMU 90-66.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
The biggest lead the Rams held on the Bears throughout the first half was six points but Marlon Allen sparked a 5-0 scoring run, which put TMU out front with 7:54 to go before the half (17-16). Although CIU led by four (25-29) with 2:37 before halftime, Cristian Colon and Antonio Bonilla scored back-to-back layups to tie it up (29-29) but CIU managed to claim a one-point lead (30-31).
 
The second half saw the Bears get outscored by a slim margin (44-47) but the score was tied up five different times. TMU, in fact, earned their lone lead of the half on a Enocka Franky bucket in the paint (58-57) with 5:25 to go in regulation. CIU went on to drain a 3-pointer to lead by four (60-64) but Darius Thrower responded with a 3-pointer of his own (63-64). The Rams, however, scored six straight to lead by seven with 1:48 on the scoreboard (63-70) and the Bears were ultimately unable to fully recover.
 
With 27 seconds remaining, Colon drained a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to two (71-73) but the Rams' free throws put them ahead by five (71-76). Bonilla also made a 3-pointer with eight seconds to go to get within two again (74-76), but CIU capitalized on their free throws.
 
LEADERS
Colon led the way with a career high of 21 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals, including 8-for-9 from the free throw line. Franky followed scoring 18 with six rebounds. Bonilla scored 11, Allen led with seven rebounds and Thrower went 3-for-4 from behind the 3-point line.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears are on the road again at Montreat College on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 4:00 p.m., before returning home to the Benjamin F. Brady Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7:30 p.m.