Slump Dooms Men's Basketball Against CIU

COLUMBIA, S.C.- The men's basketball team went on the road for their final regular season and Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) game of the 2023 portion of their schedule. The team traveled to face the Columbia International University Rams. 

Through the first 12 minutes of action, the game was close with neither team taking higher than a four point lead. Amauri Young, Ty Hurst, and Kobe Pride all made baskets to make the score 6-2 early on. Over the next several minutes, the game saw five ties. Jay Reed put the game in a 16-16 tie, which was broken by six straight points by the Rams. TWU did not stay down by that margin for long, as a Nichaune Jones jumper capped off a 7-0 run which game the team a 23-22 lead. Columbia International took the lead once again before but a free throw by Reed put the game in a 26-26 tie. The tie was broken by the Rams, who took a 41-36 lead into the halftime break.

Out of the halftime break, Pride made a jump shot to cut the Columbia International lead down to three points. The offense went cold over the next few minutes though as the opponents went ahead on the scoreboard 54-44. As the team tried to move closer, the opponents held a 63-49 lead by the midway point of the second half. The team was not able to pull closer though and Kariden Hardrick hit a three-pointer near the end of the game made the final score 86-72 in favor of the opponents. 

Reed led the offense with a career-high 18 points to go along with 12 points each from Young and Pride.

The final game of 2023 for the Bulldogs (4-7, 4-6 AAC) is an exhibition game against Carson-Newman University on Tuesday. The game against the NCAA Division II opponent is set to begin at 2:00 p.m.