HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Coker College men's basketball team picked up a South Atlantic Conference victory over Tusculum College 84-75 on Saturday (Feb. 28) in their regular season finale.

The Coker offense was explosive in the first half scoring 48 points in the first 20 minutes. With six and half minutes left in the first half Coker held an 11-point 27-16 lead. They proceeded to go on a 13-0 run to expand their lead to 24 points. They would head into the locker room with a convincing 48-22 lead.

The Cobras would hold the double digit lead for much of the second half as a late run by Tusculum cut the Coker lead to just six with 18 seconds left on the clock. Three made free throws by Errick Bethel in the final seconds would seal the nine-point victory.

Bethel led all scorers by pouring 29 points, 18 of which came from behind the arc. The performance would give him the SAC season scoring title, finishing the regular season averaging 19.9 points per game. Three other members of the Navy and Yellow finished in double figures. Donte Samuels scored 15 points while pulling down seven rebounds, while Trey Marshall chipped in with 14 points and five assists. Aubrey Daniel added 12 points and three rebounds, and  Trey James led the defense pulling down 11 rebounds.

The win propelled Coker to a No. 7 seed in the SAC tournament. They will hit the road on Wednesday (Mar. 4) to take on the No. 2 seed Carson-Newman University Eagles. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

McDonald's Players of the Game - Errick Bethel & Gabriel Mens

Story by Aaron Beebe '15 sports information intern