BREVARD, N.C. - Trailing by as many as 14 points, the Brevard College men's basketball team (4-3) used a hot-shooting second half from beyond the arc to spark a spirited comeback as the Tornados pulled out a two-point victory, 74-72, against Bob Jones University (2-3) to split the season series vs. the Bruins on Friday night at the Boshamer Gymnasium.
The win gave BC its fourth-consecutive win, marking the first four-game win streak since 2010-11.
The Tornados, who trailed by 14 points five minutes into the second half, made eight 3-pointers to spark the comeback effort. Consecutive layups by Sly White and Chancey Watson tied the contest at 67 with 4:32 left to play. Jeremy Posner hit his fourth 3-pointer of the second half at the 3:41 mark to give Brevard its first lead since the 10:37 mark in the first half, to give BC a 70-67 advantage. Senior guard Charles Reed nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with just under three minutes left to play to extend the Tornado edge to a six-point margin, 73-67.
The Bruins answered back with five quick points with two minutes to go to cut the deficit to one, 73-72. BC forced a BJU miss inside a minute left, and Watson was able to draw a foul in the lane and make one of two free throw attempts to push the lead up to a two-point margin, 74-72, with just 25 seconds to play. In the final seconds of regulation, Hester rejected a Bruin layup and Brevard wrapped up the thrilling home victory.
Hester led all Tornados with 15 points to go alongside five rebounds, four assists, and his game-clinching block. Posner scored 12 points on four made 3-pointers, while Watson added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Sly White posted nine points and six rebounds, while Jadon Carnes and Carson Evans each scored eight points. Reed dished out a team-best six assists and added four critical steals.
Bob Jones outshot Brevard 55% to 45%, but the Tornados made 13 3-pointers to BJU's four. BC got 37 points off its bench to BJU's 17, while the Bruins scored a total of 46 points in the paint.
BJU was led by Devin Pope, who put up a game-best 26 points on a highly-efficient 10-of-12 shooting. Trevor Brunson added 12 points and six rebounds.
The Tornados will be back in action on Sunday at 3 p.m. when Brevard heads to Demorest, Georgia to take on former USA South foe Piedmont University.
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