NGU posts third loss against undefeated USC Aiken
Nick Aldrich, Staff Writer
North Greenville University’s Crusaders squared off against USC Aiken’s Pacers on Saturday, Nov. 17. at Aiken, losing 100-70. This loss lengthens NGU’s losing streak to three games, after a strong opening showing against North Georgia.
The Pacers started off strong, posting seven points in short succession, with the Crusaders only posting two. The next few plays were fairly standard with the two teams trading points back and forth with the Pacers occasionally scoring twice in a row.
The Pacer’s strong defense proved difficult for the Crusaders to handle, setting the score at 17-8 by the first timeout, around first half’s 13-minute mark. Another timeout was called at 11 minutes and 31 seconds, with the Pacers still leading at 23-13.
The next few minutes were relatively uneventful, with no points being posted until two minutes later when the Pacers sunk a three, setting the score at 26-13. The Pacers proceeded to go on another 7-2 run, setting the score at 30-16 when the next timeout rolled around with the clock at just under seven minutes.
The Pacers score another six points in quick succession, putting up a pretty stellar 13-2 run. The Pacers stayed up by around 20 points for the rest of the half, putting the score at 46-25 during halftime.
The Crusaders started the second half by posting up some quick points, scoring five points in a row. While both teams proceeded to put up more points in the second half overall, the Crusaders really brought it back in this half, scoring 45 points; 20 more than the first half.
However, the Pacers continued to perform well, putting up some very solid defense which forced the Crusaders into taking difficult shots. The Pacers continued scoring consistently, staying around a solid 20 points ahead of the Crusaders for the beginning of the second half, despite their solid play.
Many back-and-forth runs took place, with the Crusaders unable to get up due to the Pacers matching every point they made. This continued, with the Pacers gradually increasing their lead over the Crusaders until their defeat, with the final score resting at 100-70.
While the Crusaders played good offense, the Pacers defense was simply too tough to get around. While they did manage to post up more points in the second half, the Pacers offense easily kept up, making it impossible for the Crusaders to come back.
Some standout Crusaders include Roderick Howell, who posted 20 points, a season high for him. He also posted nine rebounds. Another high scorer was Ryan Mobley, who scored 14 points. Daniel Burchette is also worthy of mention, as he recorded 13 points and 5 rebounds. North Greenville’s next game is a home game on Monday, Nov. 19, against Columbia International University.
