The Bob Jones University Bruins defeated the Piedmont International University Bruins Friday night in an exciting game at the Davis Field House. BJU’s 99-89 win brought the Bruins’ record to 11-8 on the season.
In the early minutes of the first half, both teams looked to get the advantage. Ray Holden put the Bruins on the board with a nice bank shot under pressure, and Marshall Riddle followed up with a beautiful three-point field goal from the corner.
BJU led until seven minutes to go when Piedmont’s Antoine Robinson converted a nice layup to put them up 25-24. Both teams found their rhythm offensively, but BJU clawed ahead to give them a 47-43 heading into the locker room.
Marshall Riddle and Shawn Lipscomb led the team with 11 total points in the first half, followed by Corey Turner with eight points.
“I thought we did a good job of walling up at the rim, and not letting them get a lot of shots inside,” Turner said.
In the first half, BJU shot 52 percent from the field as a team, while going 75 percent from the free-throw line. BJU showed determination as they clawed ahead in the final minutes of the half. At the buzzer, BJU led Piedmont 47-43.
Dustin Killough started the second half nicely for the BJU Bruins as he banked a nice shot for two. Soon after, Kyle Turner had a nice steal, and brought it back for a layup. With BJU up 83-73 with five minutes left, Piedmont relied on Garrion Blount for a comeback, as Blount hit two three-point field goals in a row. Despite the rally, BJU held off Piedmont to win 99-89.
Piedmont’s Garrion Blount and Malik Milton ripped up the floor for Piedmont with 28 and 23 total points. Kyle Turner led BJU with 19 total points and 12 rebounds. Riddle contributed 18 total points while hitting four shots from beyond the arc. Lipscomb tallied 16 total points and 11 rebounds, while Justin Matthews had 16 total points with five rebounds.
“I can give the ball up willingly without that nervousness that I won’t get it back, or he is going to turn the ball over,” Matthews said. “When we trust each other, the offense really flows.”
“We moved the ball really well, and really trusted our guys,” Killough said. “We know when to shoot, and when not to shoot.”
“We focused on getting the ball inside, trying to attack the rim,” coach Neal Ring said. “I was pleased at under five, they did exactly what we asked them to do, and it was good to see them find some success.”
The Bob Jones University Bruins look for another win as they face the Piedmont College Lions on Feb. 6 in Demorest, Georgia.