GREENVILLE, Tenn. – It is often said that a game can't be won in the first half, but that it can be lost in the opening 20 minutes. On Saturday afternoon, the Trevecca Nazarene University men's basketball team issued a direct challenge to that wisdom.
Trevecca (3-1) shot a blistering 68-percent from the floor in the first half, as the Trojans made 17 of 25 shots including six of their eight 3-point attempts, and the Trojans used that to build a 49-36 halftime lead on their way to a 98-75 win at Tusculum University (2-2). The win leveled the all-time series between the Trojans and the Pioneers at four wins apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tusculum opened the game on a 7-2 run, but with 18:00 left in the opening half, Fred Bailey ignited the Trojans' offense. The freshman from Nashville canned a 3-pointer to trim the margin to 7-5, and the Trojans were off and running. After a Tusculum bucket put the Pioneers back up 9-5, Trevecca rattled off 13 straight to take the lead at 18-9, and Trevecca did not trail again in the contest. The first half lead reached as many as 13 - first at 47-34 with 1:05 to go on a 3-pointer from Justin Bass, and again on a pair of free throws from Bailey with 12 second to play that provided the halftime margin of 49-36.
Even the halftime break did not cool the Trojans hot shooting. Brett Wright buried a pair of triples in the opening 70 seconds of the second half, and the Trojans kept the Pioneers at bay. A 3-pointer from Jax Abernathy pushed the Trevecca lead to 20 for the first time at the 14:30 mark, and a late 10-2 run capped by a 3-point make from Spencer White stretched the lead to 27 - the high-water mark of the game - at 88-61 with 5:43 to go in the game. Trevecca made 18 of 24 (66.7%) shots in the second half, and 6 of 10 3-pointers, as the Trojans coasted home with the 98-75 win.
THE TEAM
The shooting performance shattered the Trevecca single-game record for field goal percentage as a team. The previous mark was set in a 79-52 win over Hillsdale College (Mich.) at the Trojan Fieldhouse on January 11, 2024. The Trojans made 32 of 50 shots in that game, good for 64 percent from the floor, but on Saturday, Trevecca was even better. The Trojans connected on 35 of 49 (71.4%) shots from the field in the game, including 12-of-18 (66.7%) from long range. Trevecca also made 16 of 23 (69.6%) free throws in the game. The Trojans held the advantage in the battle of the benches 30-20, and Trevecca out-scored Tusculum 21-12 on the fast break.
THE PLAYERS
Bailey was one of five Trojans in double-figures, as he netted a career-high 27 points on 11-for-13 shooting in the game. White added 15 points and made all five of his shot attempts in the game, Wright netted 14 points, Abernathy added a dozen, and Da'Shon Fisher chipped in 10. Jeremy Jackson, Jr. narrowly missed a double-double in the game, as he scored eight points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and Tyler Moore dished out a team leading six assists.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will wrap up their 2025-26 non-conference slate on Tuesday, November 25. Trevecca will head west to Jackson, Tennessee where they will do battle with the Lane College Dragons (0-1). Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
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