ROME, Ga.-Host Shorter shot 67 percent, including 71 percent from three-point range, as they raced to a 98-91 win over the Christian Brothers University Bucs Thursday night, posting the highest score allowed by CBU in nearly 15 years.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• The Bucs (8-10, 6-6 GSC) took early control with a 10-2 burst capped by an
Alex Trentman (Alexandria, Ky./Bishop Brossart HS) trey that gave them a 16-8 lead with 14:50 remaining in the opening half.
• Shorter (9-9, 4-8) answered with an 11-2 burst to regain a 19-18 edge on a Chris Daniels layup with 11:03 remaining. The teams traded leads throughout the game, with 17 lead changes and five ties in the contest.
• The Hawks appeared to pull away late in the first half, using a 15-3 run to open a 46-36 lead on a Trevor McDade layup with 1:44 remaining.
• CBU regained the lead with an 18-9 run capped by another Trentman three as they took a 70-66 lead with 10:38 remaining.
• The Hawks responded with a 12-0 run to regain the lead for good, taking an 81-72 edge when Phil Taylor capped the run with a jumper. Taylor, the No. 3 scorer in the nation at 25.7 ppg, scored seven of his game-high 34 points during the decisive run.
• CBU came as close as three points in the final minutes, when an
Adam Dieball (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East HS) basket brought them within 86-83 with 2:20 remaining, but the Hawks held on for the victory.
KEY STATS:•
Drew Hildreth (Memphis, Tenn./Bolton HS) scored 23 points with eight rebounds for the Bucs. He shot 10-of-18 overall, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
• Dieball scored 22 with six assists and four rebounds.
•
Jeff Larkin (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle HS) scored 22 with four assists.
• Trentman added 12 with and rebounds.
• The Bucs shot 52.1 percent (38-of-73), including 37 percent (10-of-27) from three-point range. They were 5-of-6 at the free throw line.
• Shorter shot 66.7 percent (32-of-48) overall, including 71.4 percent (10-of-14) from three-point range. The Hawks shot 75 percent (24-of-32) at the charity stripe.
• The Bucs out-rebounded Shorter 33-23, including a 14-1 edge in offensive boards, but they committed 11 turnovers to the Hawks' six.
NOTABLE:• Shorter was the first team to score 98 points against the Bucs in regulation since Southern Arkansas Jan. 14, 2002. The last time CBU allowed more than 98 was 101 in a double-overtime game with Harding Feb. 20, 2003, and they allowed 105 in regulation at Harding Feb. 15, 2001.
• CBU had not scored 90 points in back-to-back games since 2009, when they scored 91 and 104 in wins over Blue Mountain and Williams Baptist.
• The Bucs had not scored 90 points in a loss since Feb. 22, 2014, when they lost 91-90 at North Alabama.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Bucs visit Lee Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. Their next home game is Thursday night, when they host Mississippi College at 7 p.m.
