KOPPEL’S LAST SECOND THREE-POINTER LIFTS BLUE HOSE
 TO 56-53 VICTORY OVER PIONEERS

CLINTON, S.C. — Presbyterian College’s junior Ryan Koppel came off the bench to hit a go-ahead three-pointer with :01.6 seconds left to propel the Blue Hose to a 56-53 victory over Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Wednesday night in the Ross E. Templeton Center. With the victory, the Blue Hose improve to 22-7 overall (10-3 SAC), while Tusculum falls to 13-13 on the season and 4-9 in the league.

The game was tied at 53-53 with 1:21 remaining after Tusculum’s junior Chris Poore (Greeneville, Tenn.) scored on a baseline layup. PC came up empty on their next possession, but forced a Pioneer turnover to regain the ball with :28 seconds. With the clock about to expire, PC’s junior Sean Dixon (Marietta, Ga.) found Koppel open at the top of the key for a three-pointer to give the Blue Hose the lead at 56-53 with :01.6 seconds remaining. Tusculum got off a desperate three-pointer at the buzzer that fell short.

Presbyterian broke open a close game midway through the first half with a 11-3 run to pull ahead 21-11 at the 4:37 mark on a layup by junior Grant Herren (Oviedo, Fla.). Tusculum trimmed the lead to only two points at 24-22 with :09 seconds remaining on a pair of free throws by junior Larry Minnefee (Valrico, Fla.), but PC’s freshman Travis Sligh (Columbia, S.C.) scored on the baseline as time expired to give the Blue Hose a 26-22 lead at intermission.

Herren and senior Johann Collins (Raleigh, N.C.) each scored six points for the Blue Hose in the first half, while Tusculum’s sophomore Jordan Lear (Zanesvile, Ohio) led all scorers with nine points.

The second half saw Tusculum lead by as many as seven points at 42-35 with 9:37 remaining on a pair of free throws by junior Matt Farris (Zanesville, OH). The Blue Hose fought back and retook the lead at 48-46 at the 4:32 remaining on a layup by Dixon. The lead increased to four points at 53-49 with 2:19 remaining, but Tusculum tied the game moments later at 53-53 on Poore’s baseline layup with 1:21 remaining.

Collins led the Blue Hose in scoring with 16 points on eight-of-11 shooting from the line to go along with nine boards, while Dixon added six points and seven assists. Tusculum’s Poore led all scorers with 19 points, while sophomore Jordan Lear (Zanesville, OH) added 13 points and five boards.

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