TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 3 Talladega College men's basketball advanced to the GCAC Men's Basketball Championship Semifinals with a 67-60 win over No. Rust College tonight's Quarterfinals. The Tornadoes are now 22-6 on the season while Rust ends the season at 11-15.
Both teams found themselves tied at four to start the game before the Tornadoes were able to take a 6-4 lead off of Javonni Bickham's layup. Rust was able to go in front 7-6 off a three-ball for its first lead of the game. Bickham tied things at seven off the front end of a foul shot, but could not convert the second shot for the lead. Rust used a 16-5 to take a 23-12 lead with 9:17 left in the half. Talladega chipped away at the lead as it used a 15-8 run to pull within 31-27 going into halftime.
Talladega's
Wilfred Campbell hit a three to start the second half, making it a one-point game in the first 23 seconds. The Tornadoes tied the game at 31 when
Ethelbert Anum hit a free throw. His free throw sparked a 4-0 run after to put the Tornadoes in front, 35-31. Rust chipped away at the lead to find themselves down 41-39 with 15:09 remaining in the game. Rust was able to reclaim the lead at 46-43 but Talladega used a 10-0 run to go up, 53-46. With under seven and a half minutes remaining in the game, the Tornadoes' defense kicked in as it didn't allow Rust to reclaim the lead for the remaining part of the game. Rust came as close as three but was never able to come any closer as the Tornadoes went on to win, 67-60.
Talladega tallied 14 second-chance points to Rust's seven while the Rust bench outscored the Tornadoes bench 32 to 15.
The Tornadoes won the battle on the glass 35 to 28 with 11 of them being on the offensive side.
Corey Sands paced Talladega with 20 points while going 5-of-8 from the floor, 3-of-5 from three, and 7-of-8 from the line. He grabbed two boards in the process and a team-high four assists.
Teammate Campbell finished the game with 10 points and a team-high six boards while
Tre Simmons added nine points and four boards of his own.
Talladega will face No. Philander Smith College in the GCAC Men's Basketball Championship Semifinals. Tip-off will be scheduled for either 5 or 9 p.m.
