Men's Basketball Falls to Truett McConnell

CLEVELAND, Ga.- The men's basketball went on the road for an AAC game on Wednesday. The team was unable to turn the score in their favor, falling in a close game against the Truett McConnell University Bears 91-88.

The game started with Tennessee Wesleyan setting the tone early. Ty Hurst knocked down two free throws after drawing a foul to give Wesleyan the first points of the game. Moments later, Armando Cuardado finished a strong layup off an assist from Amauri Young, keeping the Bulldogs in rhythm. Jay Reed made a defensive impact with a key block, and Young added a steal and transition layup, pushing Wesleyan ahead 6-3. The teams traded baskets throughout the half, with Stratton Lovvorn providing a highlight-reel dunk to energize the Bulldogs.

Reshaun Hampton caught fire from deep, hitting back-to-back three-pointers to give Wesleyan a solid lead at 23-17. The Bulldogs controlled the tempo with fast-break points and defensive stops, extending their advantage to as much as 10 points. Hurst and Hampton combined for strong outside shooting, while Cuardado and Young dominated inside, helping Wesleyan take a 54-47 lead into halftime.

Wesleyan continued their strong play early in the second half, with Cuardado finishing another layup and Reed adding a transition bucket off a Peyton West assist. The Bulldogs built their lead to 11 points, but Truett McConnell responded with a run of their own, cutting the lead to just six points with a series of three-pointers. As the game tightened, Lovvorn and Hurst provided key baskets to keep Wesleyan ahead. Lovvorn nailed a deep three-pointer, while Young finished a tough and-one layup to maintain the Bulldogs' edge. However, Truett McConnell continued to chip away at the lead, eventually tying the game at 63-63 midway through the second half.

The final minutes were a back-and-forth battle. Runyan Ty drained a clutch three-pointer, followed by a driving layup from Reed to give Wesleyan a 75-74 lead. The game remained tied at 81-81 after a late bucket by Hurst, but Truett McConnell took the lead on a three-point play with under two minutes remaining. With just 10 seconds left, Young hit a layup to bring Wesleyan within one point at 89-88, but Truett McConnell managed to ice the game at the free-throw line. Wesleyan had a last-second chance, but Young's contested layup just missed, sealing the 91-88 defeat.

Young led the offense with 19 points.

The Bulldogs (8-12, 7-8 AAC) will be back in action on Saturday in James L. Robb Gymnasium against No. 21 University of Pikeville. The conference game is set to begin at 4:00 p.m.