January 12, 2008

 

     Dayton, TN—The second half of the season is where teams in the Appalachian Athletic Conference usually make their big push towards the top of the conference standings, and the Lions took the court on Saturday evening hoping to do just that against local rival Tennessee Wesleyan College. On the heels of a tough 2 point loss at Milligan College on Tuesday night, Bryan was eager to get back on the court and add another win to their 7-9 record.  The Lions took on a tough-nosed Tennessee Wesleyan squad whose 5-10 record was not reflective of their talent.

     Bryan dug themselves an early hole, shooting just 21% from the floor in the first half, en route to a 13 point halftime deficit. Kyle Terry kept the Lions in the game with a couple three pointers, but the Lions had trouble finishing around the basket and they were outdone by the Bulldogs who shot 42% in the frame. The halftime score was 34-21 in favor of TWC.

     The second half was a role reversal of sorts, although Bryan never really got it going offensively, shooting just 34% in the second half while holding TWC to just 22% shooting. The Lions attempted to claw back into the game, outscoring the Bulldogs in the second half 26-19 and pulling within 5, but that was as close as they would get. In the end TWC proved too much for the Lions to overcome, and the Bulldogs headed back to Athens with a 3-47 victory.

     Aside from Terry, who finished the night with 13 points, Charlie Lytle had 14 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in the loss. The Lions travel to Lookout Mountain on Tuesday to face another rival at Covenant College. Tip Off is set for 7:30 PM.