GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Tusculum University’s Malachi Hale hit three free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining as the Pioneers rallied to a 73-70 victory over Tennessee Wesleyan University in an exhibition game Monday morning at Pioneer Arena.
The Pioneers overcame a 15-point second half deficit and outscored the Bulldogs 16-4 in the final 4:49 to be victorious in the annual Jack Kilday Education Game before a near capacity crowd of local elementary and middle school students, teachers and staff.
Hale was a perfect 7-of-7 at the free throw line as Tusculum shot 22-of-27 at the charity stripe for the game including 18-of-20 in the second half alone. Hale also accounted for 10 rebounds and recorded a pair of blocked shots.
Tusculum’s Bryce Jackson tallied 15 points and went 8-of-8 from the foul line including his two free throws with 48.6 seconds to go to tie the game at 70-70.
On the ensuing possession, TWU’s Ty Hurst layup was blocked by Hale with 29 seconds left and Jackson came down with the rebound for the Pioneers.
Hale would get off a three-point try from the right wing but was fouled while shooting sending him to the line as he made all three shots.
After a timeout with 1.4 seconds left, the Bulldogs got off a heave at the buzzer but it was no good as Tusculum recorded the exhibition win.
TU’s Akeem Odusipe led all players with his 12 rebounds to go along with his nine points. TU newcomer and North Greenville University transfer Zak Perdew recorded nine points and three assists in his Tusculum debut. J3 Swindell added eight points, while Josiah Morris tallied six points on a pair of three-pointers for the Pioneers.
TWU’s Amauri Young led all scorers with 20 points and four assists, while Peyton West finished with 19 markers.
Tusculum led throughout most of the first half and stretched its advantage out to 10 on two occasions before taking a 30-26 advantage into the locker room.
The Bulldogs took the lead early in the second half and used a 17-3 run to move out to a 54-39 lead with 8:26 remaining following a Young jumper. Tusculum scored eight in a row thanks to a triple by Morris, a layup from Duke Thomas and three free throws from Hale as the TWU lead was whittled down to 54-47 with 7:03 left.
A Perdew jumper with 4:49 left trimmed the deficit to 63-57, but 17 seconds later, West connected on his third triple of the afternoon to go up 66-57. Two free throws by Jackson and a three-pointer from Morris brought TU to within four at 66-62 with 3:39 on the clock.
Thomas made one of two free throws with 2:21 left to make it a one possession game at 66-63. West would draw a foul and he would make two free throws to halt the TWU scoring drought with under two minutes left.
Jackson converted a fast-break layup and Tusculum’s defense held on the next possession as the Pioneers had the ball and called a timeout with 1:24 left, trailing 68-65. Swindell got off a three-pointer from the wing but it was no good as Young came down with the board and was fouled. He would make both free throws to extend the TWU lead to 70-65.
Jackson would go the length of the court by himself and drilled a pull-up triple with 58 seconds left and trailed 70-68. Jackson would get a steal and would be fouled sending him to the free throw line and set up the late game heroics.
Tennessee Wesleyan shot 39 percent from the field including 48 percent in the second half. TU shot 37 percent but out-rebounded the Bulldogs by a 46-32 margin.
The Jack Kilday Education Game is named in memory of the longtime Greene County coach, educator and administrator who passed away earlier this year. Kilday, a 1957 Tusculum graduate, lettered in basketball and baseball and is a member of the University’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Tusculum will open the regular season this weekend with two games in Morrow, Georgia. The Pioneers open against host Clayton State University on Friday before taking on Chowan University on Saturday.
