WILSON, N.C. (Nov. 10) – Despite five players in double-figures on Friday night, the Trojans fell short by a 96-86 margin against No. 10 ranked Augusta in the season-opening event at the Barton 45-Second Classic.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive men's basketball team drops to 0-1 this season after being selected 10th in the preseason Conference Carolinas poll. It marked the seventh-straight year that two sides met in the opening weekend of the season. Meanwhile, Augusta improves to 1-0 overall after reaching the NCAA Tournament last season behind a 27-6 record.
Sophomore
Shane Peterson scored a career-high 20 points on 5-of-11 shooting with five three-pointers, while converting five-of-six from the free throw line. He also added two rebounds, one assist, and two steals in 32 minutes. Freshman
Josiah Watkins delivered 16 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 30 minutes, while redshirt sophomore
Redford Dunton tallied 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists in 37 minutes.
Sophomore
Trey Nelson produced his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 assists while also collecting three steals in 37 minutes of action. Sophomore
Aaron Murphy recorded 10 points on five-of-seven shooting with five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench.
In the first half, Watkins scored the initial five points of the contest for the Trojans to take an early 5-3 lead, but the Jaguars countered with an 8-0 rally to establish an 11-5 advantage. Over the next two-plus minutes, Mount Olive made a perfect four-of-four from the field, led by sophomore
Brent Randleman with six points, to hold a 14-11 edge with 13:51 remaining. Augusta recaptured the lead 23-18 at the midway point of the first half before Peterson produced a four-point play to cut the deficit to 23-22 with 9:35 left. The Trojans mounted a 9-4 run to retake the lead at 31-27 before hitting four-of-six from the floor to maintain the advantage, 40-34 with just over five minutes to go. Augusta registered a dunk on the next possession to begin a 16-7 run to close out the first half with a 50-47 lead at the break.
Mount Olive quickly regain the lead 55-54 in the second half behind a three from Peterson and a four-point play by Dunton. Over the next four minutes, the Jaguars rallied with a 12-4 run while holding UMO to just one-of-seven shooting to take a 66-59 lead. Augusta managed to stretch the advantage to 71-62 with 11:13 left before Nelson nailed a three pointer. After a two-plus minute scoreless stretch, the Jaguars scored seven of the next nine points to hold an 11-point lead, 78-67 with 6:23 remaining. UMO responded with eight unanswered points to trim the deficit to 78-75, but Augusta recorded an 8-1 run to extend the lead to 86-76 with just over a minute left. The Trojans made one last push to trail 88-83 with 38 seconds to go before the Jaguars finished the game at the line going eight-of-eight, 96-86.
Mount Olive finished the contest shooting 30-of-68 (44.1 percent) from the floor while converting 40.0 percent (12-of-30) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Augusta posted a .534 field goal percentage (31-of-58) and made 28-of-34 (82.4 percent) from the free-throw line. The Jaguars finished with a significant 44-27 rebounding advantage, while scoring 16 second-chance points. The Trojans totaled 36 points in the paint and tallied 22 points off the bench.
Junior Maximillian Amadasun posted a double-double with 26 points on 9-of-14 shots and grabbed 15 rebounds in 28 minutes. Sophomore Demitri Gardner totaled 25 points on 8-of-11 shooting with four rebounds in 35 minutes, while junior Ja'Queze Kirby registered a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes.
The Trojans return to action on Saturday, Nov. 11, when they face Columbus State in the Barton 45-Second Classic in Wilson, North Carolina, starting at 11 a.m.
