TALLADEGA, Ala. – The Talladega College men's basketball team closed out the regular season with a 77-67 GCAC win over Philander Smith University on Senior Day this afternoon. Talladega has locked up the third seed in the GCAC Men's Basketball Tournament that starts on Feb 28 and runs through March 3.

 The Tornadoes are now 21-6 on the season and 10-4 in the conference while the Panthers are 18-8 and 14-4 in the GCAC.

Talladega jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the opening half and was able to push its lead to 15-9 with 12:01 left. The Panthers cut the lead to three off a three-ball, but the Tornadoes responded when Issad Solano drained a three of his own to make it, 18-12. Philander Smith was able to use a layup and a jumper to make it a two-point game with a little over seven minutes left in the half. Both teams went back and forth until they found themselves tied at 22. Talladega broke the tie off a Corey Sands three at 4:20 to make it, 25-22.   Following Sands' three the Talladega defense took over as the Tornadoes went into halftime with a 34-32 lead after the Panthers hit a jumper at the buzzer.

Wilfred Campbell got things started in the second half for Talladega when he hit a three 44 seconds in to make it, 37-32. The Panthers were able to grab a one-point lead off a three to make it 46-45 before Talladega retook the lead. Once the Tornadoes reclaimed the lead, they were able to go on and cruise to a 10-point victory for its 21^st win of the season.   

The Talladega bench was the difference maker as it tallied 47 points to the Panthers 19. The Tornadoes tallied 16 points off turnovers to Philander's eight.

Talladega cleaned up the glass 28 to 15 with 12 of the 28 coming on the offensive glass.

Campbell paced all Talladega players with 14 points and six assists while tying for a team-high three 3-pointers made. He was 3-of-6 from the three, 4-of-10 from the field, and 3-of-4 from the line.
Sands finished the game with 13 points while going 3-of-5 from three and 4-of-5 from the line. Teammate D'Andre Boyd tallied 12 points while going a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor.

Ethelbert Anum and JaVonni Bickham each had five rebounds for Talladega. Anum added nine points with Bickham adding four points of his own.

Talladega will find out early next week who they will face in the GCAC Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.