Late Three-Pointer Stabs Men's Basketball Against Bluefield

BLUEFIELD, Va.- The men's basketball team went on the road for the first time in 2024. The team went to the home court of the Bluefield University Rams for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) game.

After surrendering the first point of the game, the Bulldogs went on to score 19 of the next 25 points, giving them their largest lead of the game. The combination of scoring by Keshawn McPherson, Ty Hurst, Jay Reed, Kobe Pride, and Darius Rozier helped the team lead 19-7 with 12:47 remaining in the first half. Rozier's basket three minutes later stopped a six-point run by Bluefield, making the score 21-13. Peyton West scored moments later to make the score 23-15 and a McPherson layup moved the score to 25-20 with 6:12 remaining in the first half. Nichaune Jones kept the Rams from possibly tying the game with a pair of free throws moving the score to 27-23. As it looked as if Bluefield was going to lead at halftime, Hurst and Amauri Young turned a one-point lead into a six-point advantage at the halftime buzzer, a score of 36-30. 

The second half saw the back and forth action continue. A pair of free throws by Reed helped the Bulldogs stay in front on the scoreboard, giving the team a 46-43 lead five minutes into the second half. McPherson brought the team to 50 points in the game as Tennessee Wesleyan led 50-45. With 9:27 remaining in the game, the opponents took a one-point lead. Four lead changes occurred until Young tied the game 58-58 and Reed knocked down a pair of free throws to make the score 60-58 with 6:40 remaining in the game. The game remained close over the next several minutes. With nine seconds left, the Bulldogs held a 71-69 advantage after splitting the one-and-one off a Bluefield foul. On the ensuing possession, the Rams sunk the hearts of Tennessee Wesleyan as they knocked down a three-point basket to give them a 72-71 lead, a score they went on to win by. 

Reed and McPherson (career-high) both finished with 16 points in the game.

The schedule gives the Bulldogs (4-9, 4-8 AAC) a little less than a week off before their next game, a home contest against Bryan College on Tuesday. The conference game, holding Mayfield Ice Cream Night, is set to begin at 7:30 p.m.