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Saturday,
November 15, 2003 ARMSTRONG
WINS SEASON OPENER OVER BLUE HOSE 75-63
SAVANNAH,
Ga. –
Seniors Daryl Williams and Brian Bain
keyed a 17-4 run midway through the second half to give
the host Armstrong Atlantic State Pirates a 75-63
season-opening men’s college basketball victory over
Presbyterian College at Alumni Arena on Saturday night. The
two seniors combined to score 41 points on the evening and
help the Pirates (1-0) snap a three-game slide in season
openers. Bain hit 9-of-13 shots from the floor for his
game-high 23 points, while Williams went 8-of-13 from the
floor for his 18 points as AASU shot a blistering 60.8
(31-of-51) percent from the floor in the game – its best
shooting output since hitting 63.2 percent in a 93-69 win at
North Florida on February 13, 2002. It
looked like the Pirates wouldn’t need second-half heroics,
however, as they started the game on a 29-8 run and cruised to
a 35-19 first-half lead. Presbyterian (0-1), however, opened
the second half on a 12-2 run and eventually cut the lead to
just two points, 53-51, with 8:55 remaining. A basket by
Williams and five straight points by Bain brought the Pirate
lead back to seven and AASU never looked back. AASU
also got a fine night off the bench from senior newcomer Tim Black. The Arkansas Tech transfer was a perfect 8-for-8 from the
field for 17 points before fouling out with two minutes
remaining. Sophomore
Michael Drum
(Rural Hall, N.C.) ,
the South Atlantic Conference’s Freshman of the Year in
2002-03, led the Blue Hose with 16 points – 14 in the second
half. Tray
Ballenger (Wellford, S.C.) added 15 points for
Presbyterian, who owned the advantage at the free throw line
in the contest by hitting 24-of-29 free throws (82.8%), as
opposed to the Pirates, who hit just 12-of-21 free throws
(57.1%). AASU
will be next in action on Monday, November 17, as the Pirates
travel to Paine College for a 7:00 p.m. game at Paine College.
Presbyterian is next in action at Francis Marion on Tuesday,
November 18, at 7:00 p.m. Box Score |