ANDERSON, S.C. — Anderson University placed five players in double-figure scoring as the fourth-ranked Trojans defeated visiting Tusculum University 86-65 Saturday afternoon at the Abney Athletic Center in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action.
Anderson (14-0, 8-0 SAC) remains undefeated on the season, while the Pioneers slip to 7-7 overall and 3-5 in league play.
AU’s Kadyn Dawkins scored a team-high 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting including 3-of-5 from three-point territory. Osmar Garcia added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Andre Wright, Jr. tallied 13 points and a game-high nine assists as the Trojans remain as one of only four undefeated NCAA Division II team in the country. Rashad Inglemon and Malachi Reeves accounted for 14 and 11 points, respectively as Anderson is off to its best start in program history.
Tusculum’s TJ Printup led all scorers with his season-high 20 points as he went 6-of-9 from the floor and 7-of-11 from the free throw line including makes on his last six trips to the charity stripe. He also grabbed nine rebounds, made a career-best five steals and recorded his 50th blocked shot of his career.
TU freshman Jordan Attia added a dozen points, while Amari Allen and Damjan Vukcevic had eight points apiece.
Tusculum held an early 10-8 advantage in the first half before Anderson went on an 11-1 run to take a 19-11 lead at the 11:08 mark of the period. TU responded with six straight points including back-to-back baskets from Printup as the Pioneers trailed 19-17 with nine minutes left in the half.
Anderson answered with a 14-3 spark to extend the lead to 33-20 with 4:54 on the clock. Allen scored five in a row for the Pioneers to trim the deficit back to single-digits at 33-25. TU would get it to within seven before the Trojans scored the final three points of the half as Anderson took a 42-32 lead into the locker room.
The Trojans swelled their lead out to 20 thanks to an 18-8 run to start the second half which included four triples as Anderson led 60-40 with 13:37 remaining and would maintain its 20-plus lead for the remainder of the contest.
Anderson shot 31-of-57 for the game (54.4%) including 9-of-31 from beyond the arc and 15-of-18 from the free throw line (83.3%). TU was held to 22-of-56 shooting for 39.3 percent.
Tusculum will wrap up its three-game road swing on Wednesday with a trip to UVA Wise for a 7:30 p.m. contest.
