Columbia Tops SMC in AAC Opener, 69-51
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Columbia (SC) (3-3, 1-0 AAC) | 35 | 34 | 69 |
|
Spartanburg Methodist (0-4, 0-1 AAC) | 24 | 27 | 51 |
SPARTANBURG, SC – In its Appalachian Athletic Conference opener, the Spartanburg Methodist College men's basketball team dropped a 69-51 decision to visiting Columbia (SC) on Wednesday night.
Spartanburg Methodist (0-5, 0-1 AAC) was led by redshirt freshman Musa Muriithi, who scored a game-high 21 points and connected on three 3-pointers in the loss. Tavarez Lacey added 13 points and seven rebounds in the defeat. Despite the setback, the Pioneers forced 15 turnovers and collected 10 steals in the contest.
Columbia (3-3, 1-0 AAC) placed three players in double figures — Tae Burton with 18 points, Thomas Whitley with 15, and Austin Harrell with 11 — while shooting 54.2% from the field and outrebounding SMC, 42-31.
A 3-pointer by Alileyon Ford with 10:39 left in the first half gave the Koalas a 15-14 lead, sparking an 8-0 run that held the Pioneers scoreless for more than four minutes as Columbia pulled away for the win.
Next, Spartanburg Methodist hosts Tennessee Wesleyan on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 4 p.m. inside Bridges Arena.
