Coker Falls To Anderson

HARTSVILLE, SC. - Anderson used a big second half to erase a 13 point halftime deficit in route of taking down Coker 95 to 90 Wednesday night. Ian Blue led Coker on the night with 20 points, as he poured in 14 in the first half. 

BY THE NUMBERS:

Final: Coker 90 | Anderson 95

Records: Coker 13-6 (9-6) | Anderson 11-8 (7-8)

Location: Hartsville, Sc. | Deloach Center

TOP PERFORMERS:

Ian Blue - 20pts, 2stl

Sebastian Cole - 14pts, 3ast, 2stl

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Similar to the Cobras last outing, Coker jumped out to an early lead Wednesday night. Sebastian Cole got the scoring started with a long three point jumper after the Cobras passed the ball around the key for the majority of the initial shot clock. After an Anderson basket, Judson Coan drained a three pointer of his own, followed by another Cole basket to give Coker an early 8 to 2 lead. Moments before the first media timeout it was Ian Blue making the third three pointer for the Cobras in the first four minutes to extend their early lead to four. 

After a Blue layup with 11 minutes remaining in the first frame, Coker saw its lead grow to six. Over the course of the next seven minutes the Cobras went on a 17 to 4 run. During this run, Blue drained two threes, with Cole adding one of his own. Landon Butler and Logan Murray each put in layups during this span to help Coker take a 37 to 19 lead into the final media timeout. Coker continued their strong first half, extending their lead to as many as 20, and eventually held a 13 point lead at the break. 

Coker held Anderson to just 29.7 percent from the field in the first half, and ultimately shut down their three point chances, as the Trojans shot 10.5 percent from behind the line. On the other side of the ball, Coker shot 50.0 percent from the field, and shot 44.4 percent from behind the arc. The Cobras were led by Blue's 14 first half points, as Cole was in double digits with 10. Coker assisted on 11 baskets in the first half with Logan Murray having a team high 3. 

The Trojans wouldn't go away quietly though. They started the second half on a 14 to 7 run in the first four minutes to cut the Cobra lead in half. Out of the first media timeout, Anderson scored seven straight to tie the game before Coan stopped the run by making a three. Butler and Cole each scored driving layups over the course of the next two minutes, and then it was Coan, who battled foul trouble all night, burying another three pointer to give Coker a 62 to 57 lead. 

Anderson made another run with a little over eight minutes remaining, as Austin Webb nailed a corner three pointer to tie the game at 65. From there both teams continued to trade baskets over the course of the next four minutes, as neither teams lead grew larger than five during that time span. Out of the final media timeout, Xavier Harris sank two free throws, and Coker trailed by three with three minutes and thirty seconds remaining. 

Coker was unable to bring the game closer than three over the final three minutes, as Anderson held on and completed the comeback. The Trojans, who shot only 10.5 percent from three in the first half, shot a stifling 61.5 percent in the second half, as that was ultimately the difference maker. The Trojans ramped up their defense in the second half, causing the Cobras field goal percentage to drop to 36.8 percent in the second half, and just 30.4 percent from behind the line. Coker assisted on 19 made baskets on the night with Xavier Harris racking up a team high five. Coan, Cole, and Murray all added three assists a piece. 

NOTABLES:
Max Hurray continued his double figure scoring streak, adding 10 points on the night.

Ian Blue poured in 6 three pointers on the night.

UP NEXT: 
Coker hits the road and travels to Mars Hill Saturday with a tipoff time set for 4:00 p.m. in Stanford Arena.