Wednesday, January 26, 2005

BLUE HOSE SHOOT PAST PIONEERS 87-75

CLINTON, SC – Presbyterian College sophomore guard Sean Dixon (Marietta, GA) scored 19 points to lead four Blue Hose in double figures en route to a 87-75 victory over the visiting Pioneers of Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Wednesday night in the Ross E. Templeton Center.

In the first half, the Pioneers came out hitting on all cylinders as they connected on their first seven three-point field goals to go ahead 21-11 at the 13:42 mark. Four different Tusculum players connected from deep during the run. The Pioneer lead increased to as many as 13 points at 28-15 on a pair of free throws from senior center Brad Hawks (Galax, VA), but the Blue Hose responded with a 17-3 run over the next the six minutes to take their first lead at 32-31 on a layup by sophomore forward Brian Epperly (Roanoke, VA) with 4:17 left in the half. Epperly and Dixon keyed the run as they combined for 11 points. PC continued to control the momentum as they ended the half on a 9-2 run to take a 41-33 lead at intermission. 

Junior forward Tray Ballenger (Wellford, SC) led the Blue Hose with 12 first half points while Dixon chipped in 11 points. Tusculum was led in scoring by junior forward Douglas Tshomba (Brussels, Belguim) who tallied 11 points on three-of-four shooting from beyond the arc. Both teams shot well in the first half as PC hit 48.5% of their shots while Tusculum connected on 44.0%.

In the second half, the Blue Hose continued their solid play at both ends of the floor as they increased their lead to as many as 23 points at 80-57 on a three-pointer by Dixon at the 6:53 mark. PC got a spark off the bench as freshman guard Pat Kiscaden (Oviedo, FL) tallied nine of his 14 points on three-of-three shooting from beyond the arc during one stretch of the second half. The Pioneers rallied behind the play of Hawks who scored eight of his team-high 19 points in the final five minutes as Tusculum trimmed the lead to 87-75 as time expired. TC shot 53.1% in the second half while the Blue Hose hit 57.7% from the field including seven-of-11 from three-point range.

PC’s Dixon hit five-of-10 three-pointers on the night to go along with six assists and five rebounds. Ballenger and Collins each chipped in 16 points apiece while Kiscaden added 14 points off the bench for the Blue Hose.

Tusculum was led by Hawks’ 19 points and seven boards while Tshomba added 14 points and six boards. Junior guard Donald Sexton (Oneida, TN) added 13 points and seven assists while senior guard Greg McIntosh (Indianapolis, IN) added 11 points .

Presbyterian improves to 12-6 overall and 4-2 in the SAC while Tusculum falls to 9-7 overall and 3-3 in the league. The Blue Hose return to action on Saturday, January 29 as they travel to Salisbury, NC to take on Catawba College at 4:00 pm while the Pioneers travel to Hickory, NC on the same day to take on Lenoir-Rhyne College at 8:00 pm.