DAYTON, Tenn. (November 12, 2025) — On Wednesday, the Truett McConnell University men's basketball team hit the road for their Appalachian Athletic Conference opener where they delivered a strong 74–63 victory over Bryan College. With the win, the Bears improve to 2–1 overall record, 1-0 AAC.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
TMU opened the night with steady guard play, as Isaac Brito-Vasquez and Emanuel Befekadu helped set the early offensive rhythm. Brito-Vasquez attacked for key first-half baskets, while Befekadu's shooting gave the Bears needed sparks. On the defensive end, Preston Tuggle and Calvin Carter II applied pressure that disrupted the Lions flow, forcing turnovers that kept the Bears within a close distance. Late in the half, key contributions from Preston Kent helped TMU push ahead 31–29 at the break.
 
Early in the second half, BC briefly grabbed the lead, but the Bears responded immediately. Tuggle began the momentum shift with a strong drive to the rim, followed by back-to-back defensive stands from Carter II and Brito-Vasquez. Kent and Befekadu went on to knock down shots to ignite a decisive scoring run to seal the 74–63 win in the Bears AAC opener.
 
LEADERS
Preston Tuggle led the Bears with 12 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while Isaac Brito-Vasquez added 12 points and five assists. Emanuel Befekadu and Preston Kent each contributed 11 points apiece.
 
UP NEXT
TMU travels to compete in the Campbellsville Classic against Campbellsville University (Ky.) on Friday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m., and University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 p.m.