FRANKLIN SPRINGS, GA. – The Converse University men's basketball team fell 79-64 on Tuesday evening inside the Shaw Athletic Center.
Emmanuel won the opening tip-off and began the match on a 7-2 run.
Earl Burgess III scored the Valkyries opening points of the game with 18:00 on the clock. Converse responded with a 6-3 run of their own and following a
Jay Mitchell three-pointer the Valkyries trailed 10-8 going into the first media timeout of the game.
Over the next few minutes of game time the Lions broke the game open with an 8-0 run.
Elijah Pitts ended the Valkyries scoring drought with a layup at the 13:05 marker of the game. Converse remained within striking distance of Emmanuel over the next few possessions. Then with 8:39 to play in the period the Valkyries offense began to heat up.
A pair of
Nate Gordon free throws pulled the Valkyries within 10-points, on the Valkyries next possession
Sigurd Lorange hit a three-pointer to make the score 29-22 going into a commercial break. After several minutes of neither side scoring, Burgess III made a layup attempt to pull the Valkyries within five-points of the Lions. A few minutes later, Lorange buried another three-pointer from downtown and the Valkyries trailed 31-29.
Following a quartet of free throws from the Lions, Pitts stole the ball at mid-court and put an Emmanuel defender on a poster following a monster dunk. After the dunk, Pitts was called for a technical foul and the Lions turned it into a five-point swing in their favor. Converse went into the halftime break down 43-36.
Both teams got off to a slow start in the second half with Emmanuel holding a 46-38 advantage at the first media timeout. With 13:18 to play in the second half, Gordon knockdown a jumper in the paint to keep the Valkyries within striking distance at 51-47.
A 16-3 run by Emmanuel put the game out of reach for the Valkyries,
Jay Mitchell ended the Converse scoring drought with a three-pointer at the 8:22 mark of the period. On the Valkyries next possession down the court,
Jimmie Sanders III hit a three-pointer and the Valkyries trailed 67-56. For the remainder of the game, Converse was unable to pull within single digits of Emmanuel.
Lorange extends his double-digit scoring streak to eight games now with a team high 16-points against the Lions. Lorange also led the team with seven assists and a pair of steals. Mitchell finished with 14-points, Sanders III contributed 11-points and Gordon scored a career best 10-points against the Lions. Pitts led the team with eight rebounds in the loss.
Next Up:
The Valkyries will stay on the road this weekend with a trip to the Tar Heel State to battle Mount Olive and Chowan.
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