DAYTON, Tenn. - On Wednesday, the Truett McConnell University men's basketball team showed their grit as they captured a big Appalachian Athletic Conference win over Bryan College with a final close call score of 80-78. The Bears are now sitting at an overall record of 4-5, 3-4 AAC. 

PLAY-BY-PLAY

EJ Smith sparked the momentum for the Bears in the first half with a sharp shot from the three-point arc, followed by a Smith shot in the paint to make the score 5-0. Three good free throws from Jason Yeh added to the lead, while a layup from KJ Riley kept TMU out front. The Lions kept the game even with shots of their own, capable of stealing the lead at halftime with a score of 39-42. 

Yeh set the pace for the Bears at the start of the second half, evening the gap with a three-pointer, while a shot in the paint from Akil Covington and a three-pointer by CJ Brown have TMU the advantage. The Bears pulled ahead by five after a good shot from the three-point arc by Cainan Wright. Free throws from Smith gave TMU a ten-point lead, but Bryan did not give in as they worked to bridge the gap in final efforts. A good free throw from Riley kept the Bears in the lead with a final shot from the Lions proved not enough as TMU closed out the night on top with a score of 80-78. 

LEADERS

Smith led the way with 17 points and four assists, followed by Riley who led with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, along with going 5-5 at the free-throw line. Yeh had 15 points and three assists, while Brown and Raul Arias-Ortega had eight point apiece. 

UP NEXT 

The Bears host AAC foe Montreat College at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, inside the Benjamin F. Brady Arena.