Greensboro, NC - Over the weekend, the Southern Virginia University men's basketball team embarked on a journey to Greensboro, North Carolina, participating in the Guilford Tournament against LaGrange College and No. 3 Guilford College. Despite putting forth their best efforts, the Knights faced defeat in both matches.
Game One: No. 3 Guilford College
The Knights encountered a setback with a final score of 41-69. Despite starting slow and facing a 1-11 deficit, Southern Virginia managed to cut the lead to two points after a Malakai Olson 3-pointer brought the score to 11-13. However, turnovers plagued the team, allowing the Quakers to head into halftime with a 34-19 advantage. The Knights continued to struggle offensively in the second half, while Guilford maintained their hot shooting behind the arc, resulting in a final score of 41-69.
Off the bench, Alex Weiland delivered an efficient performance, going 3-4 from the field and 2-3 from behind the arc.
Game Two: LaGrange College
In their final game before conference play, the Knights aimed to bounce back but faced a heartbreaking loss against the Panthers with a score of 85-86. The first half was closely contested, with LaGrange taking an 11-19-point lead. Southern Virginia fought back, equalizing the score at 24 after a Collin Friffith three-pointer followed by a Tyler Kartchner jumper. The last 10 minutes of the half featured an offensive barrage from both sides, and a last-second layup from LaGrange gave them a slim 48-45 lead going into halftime.
Out of the half, the Knights once again leveled the score with a fastbreak layup from Koa Baker. The Knights continued to build upon the lead until a minute remained in the game, and Southern Virginia was up by eight with a score of 85-77. However, three straight turnovers by the offense opened the door for the Panthers to secure a narrow 86-85 victory.
Looking ahead, the Knights aim to rebound in conference play in the new year, starting with a matchup against the defending USA South champions, North Carolina Wesleyan University, on Wednesday, January 3rd, with tip-off set for 4:00 PM.