GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Jordan Lear recorded 25
points, including a lay-up with 17.9 seconds remaining as Tusculum
College defeated Concord University 67-64 Monday night in
non-conference men's basketball action at Pioneer Arena.
Tusculum (6-7) avenges an earlier season loss to Concord (5-5)
and remains undefeated against the Mountain Lions, claiming all six
previous meetings.
Lear shot 10-for-16 from the floor and poured in 16 second half
points as the Pioneers never trailed in this highly-contest ball
game.
Concord's Lemond Lee led four players in double figures with his
15 points off the bench. Anthony Lansdowne and Cordale Boyd posted
12 markers each, while Chance Smith accounted for 11 points.
TC's Kyle Moore added 16 points and six assists off the bench for
the Pioneers, while Jimmy Boone and Lavonti Jeter tallied nine
points each in the victory.
Tusculum led throughout the entire first half, including its
biggest lead of the night at 30-20 at the 3:04 mark, capped off by
a three-pointer by Moore. CU closed out the period with an 8-3 run
as TC lead 33-28 at the intermission.
In the second half, Tusculum moved to an eight-point advantage
(38-30) following a steal and lay-up by Moore with 17:16 left on
the clock. Concord responded with a 10-2 spurt, including
three-pointers by Lansdowne and Smith to tie the game at 40-40,
3:10 later.
Both teams battled down the stretch as Tusculum moved out to a
48-42 lead at the midway point of the period, before Concord as Lee
converted a three-point play and Smith buried a jumper as CU cut
the deficit to 48-47 with 9:03 remaining.
Tusculum went on a 9-3 run to take a 59-52 lead following Lear's
driving lay-up with 4:04 left.
CU fought back and cut the deficit to one-point after Boyd
recorded a three-point at the 2:07 mark.
Jeter moved TC up 65-62 following his offensive rebound and
put-back with 1:49 remaining. Lee was fouled and he made one of two
free throws with 1:28 left in the game, but on his second attempt
Derrick Calloway retrieved the ball, falling out of bounds and
tossed to teammate Rustin Jessee. Lee got off another jumper in the
paint and that was kept alive by Jessee with under a minute to
play.
With 48 seconds left, Lansdowne was fouled while shooting sending
him to the line. He made the second of two free throws to cut the
deficit to one again at 65-64.
Tusculum worked the ball to Lear in the paint and with the shot
clock running down and canned a lay-up with 17.9 seconds on the
clock.
Concord got one last chance as Lansdowne's tying three-pointer
rimmed out at the buzzer, preserving the win for the Pioneers.
Concord shot 51 percent from the field, including 13-for-24 in the
second half. Tusculum fired 25-for-50 from the floor (50%).
Tusculum returns to South Atlantic Conference action on Wednesday
when the Pioneers host Lincoln Memorial University for an 8 p.m.
contest. Concord will be at Seton Hill on Saturday for a WVIAC
match-up.