SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Converse University men's basketball team fell 96-79 to Belmont Abbey on Tuesday evening inside the Weisiger Center.
With the loss, Belmont Abbey completes the season sweep against the Valkyries. Converse has now lost their ninth straight game, on the bright side the Valkyries posted their highest point total since their December 11
th matchup against Lees-McRae.
Despite losing the opening tip,
Earl Burgess III (Spartanburg, S.C.) scored the opening points of the game with layup in the paint. Following the made basket the two teams went shot-for-shot over the next several minutes of game time before
Jimmie Sanders III (Dallas, Texas) began to give the Valkyries a bit of breathing room.
With 14:32 to play in the half Sanders III nailed a three-pointer and the Valkyries took a 12-10 advantage. Moments later and
Jay Mitchell (Clemmons, N.C.) converted a pair of free throw attempts to give the Valkyries a four-point cushion. However, the lead was short lived for the Valkyries as the Crusaders used a quick 5-0 spurt to regain the lead.
For the remainder of the half the Valkyries ended up playing behind as Belmont Abbey increased their lead to as many as 14 in the final moments of the opening period. Going into the halftime intermission Converse trailed 47-36 to Belmont Abbey.
LJ McCoy hit the opening three-pointer of the half for Belmont Abbey but Burgess III willed the Valkyries back into the game with a personal 6-2 run to start the second half. Despite the Valkyries best efforts, they were unable to bring the deficit back within single digits as Belmont Abbey built a 20-point lead. In the final moments of the game, both sides were able to empty out their benches.
Burgess III and
Sigurd Lorange led the Valkyries with 18-points in the match. Burgess III was one rebound away from his fourth double-double of the season, meanwhile, Lorange led the team with five assists in the loss. Mitchell recorded 17-points in the loss and Sanders III contributed 14-points against the Crusaders.
Next Up:
The Valkyries will hit the road this weekend as they travel to Barton and Francis Marion.
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