Kingsport Reporter

The King University men's basketball team travel to take on one of the top teams in the southeast region, Lander University on Sunday afternoon. The Tornado kept it close with the Bearcats, who are receiving votes in both national polls, in the first half, but Lander pulled away in the second half to take the contest 106-72.

THE BASICS

FINAL: Lander 106, King 72

LOCATION: Finns Horne; Greenwood, S.C.

RECORDS: King 2-4; Lander 5-1

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half

• The teams went back-and-forth in the early going before Michael Mays gave King a 12-10 lead.
• However, the Bearcats responded with seven straight points to take the lead.
• King fought back and pulled within 27-23 on a Brandon Lamberth triple with eight minutes remaining in the opening half.
• Nevertheless, Lander went on a 13-0 run over the next two minutes as the Tornado extended a pair of timeouts on the spurt that gave the Bearcats a 40-23 advantage.
• Kenny Turner made a basket for the Tornado to end the spurt before a pair of Mays trifectas pulled King within 43-30.
• The Bearcats then scored eight straight, stretching their lead to 51-32 before King cut into the deficit to close the half.
• Zach Grodzki and Jordan Akal each made a pair of free throws around a Mays bucket, but King trailed 53-38 at the half.

Second Half

• Lander scored 11 of the first 15 points, including six straight to open up a 64-44 lead four minutes into the half.
• The Bearcats held the lead around 20 points for the remainder of the half as each time the Tornado tried to get a comeback going, Lander hand an answer on the other end.
• Lander extended their lead down the stretch, taking the contest 106-72.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Mays led King with 26 points while Turner followed with 12 points and seven rebounds.
• Lamberth chipped in with 10 points.

FOR THE FOES

• Noah Dunn led Lander with 24 points as he knocked down six triples. He added seven rebounds and four assists.
• Jared Sherfield followed with 18 points and eight rebounds.
• Jaylon Pugh added 12 points and Dominic Stanford chipped in with 11 points.

Original source can be found here