BRISTOL, TENN. – The Converse University men's basketball team fell 83-75 to King University on Wednesday evening.
With the loss Converse drops to 11-15 overall, 10-10 in Conference Carolinas play and was swept in the season series by King for the first time in program history. King improves 17-11 overall and 15-5 in Conference Carolinas action this season.
Converse opened the game on a 5-0 run and eventually led 7-2 over the Tornado with 17:57 to play in the opening half. Converse continued to put the pressure on the Tornado and held a 12-4 advantage with 16:43 to play in the period. King then used a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the contest at 13-12.
The two teams then went back-and-forth over the next several minutes of action. With 7:30 to play in the half, Reams made a fastbreak layup and gave Converse a 22-21 advantage. The layup also jump started the Converse offense who scored the next four points to take a 26-21 lead over King. The Tornado ended the half on a 12-2 run and took a 33-28 advantage into the halftime break. Converse shot 32 percent from the field, 14 percent from three point range and 60 percent from the free throw line.
Converse scored the first four points coming out of the halftime break and cut into the Tornado lead. King countered and quickly built their lead back up to eight points right before the first media timeout of the second half. Converse continued to chip away at the Tornado lead and Ahnstrand tied the game at 46 with 12:52. On the Valkyries next possession down the court, Pullen made the go-ahead three.
Key three-pointers by Ahnstrand and Mitchell had the Valkyries lead up to 57-49 with 10:15 to play in the game. Once again, the Tornado countered with a run of their own, but Converse was able to bounce back and maintain their eight point advantage. With 6:11 to play in the contest, King started to make their move and retook the lead at 69-68 with 3:38 to play in the game. Converse was never able to close the gap against the Tornado. Converse was outscored 50-47 in the second half, shooting 38 percent from the field, 44 percent from three-point range, and 84 percent from the free throw line.
Stats:
Points: Ahnstrand (21), Burgess III (16), Pullen (14)
Rebounds: Mitchell (7) Burgess III (7), Pullen (6)
Assists: Ahnstrand (3), Reams (3)
Next Up:
The men's basketball team will head to Barton on Sunday afternoon for the opening round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament.
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