Brevard, NC - After using an assertive start to build a double-digit lead in the first half, the Southern Virginia University men's basketball team was forced to come from behind in the final minutes to secure a win in a roller coaster afternoon in Brevard. Eli Ballstaedt's two free throws in the final seconds iced a 92-87 win for the Knights.
Southern Virginia used their high-flying offense to remain even with Brevard in a back-and-forth opening half. Eli Ballstaedt set the tone with a three in the game's opening possession in what would become a career day for him. The lead would change seven times before Southern Virginia managed to put some breathing room between themselves and the Tornados.
The Knights' shooting was stellar, finishing over .50% in both halves. They also did well in spreading the ball amongst each other in the opening twenty and led by as much as sixteen. Their 50-36 advantage heading into the locker room managed to quiet the home crowd and put them in position for a key opening victory in league play on the road.
Brevard pounced on the Knights in the second half and quickly erased the deficit. A three-pointer with 8:34 left in regulation gave Southern Virginia their first deficit since the midway point of the first half. While it would have been easy to be overwhelmed by the crowd noise and let the game slip away, the Knights weren't done yet.
With Brevard ahead, 75-72, Tyler Kartchner's tap-in on the offensive glass, followed by a steal and score from Eli Ballstaedt and Tillman Johnson, seemed to ease the team's nerves. Both sides continued to trade buckets, which included a timely triple from DJ Green at the top of the key and Tillman Johnson forcing his way to the free-throw line to take back the lead for good. At 86-85, the Knights would lead the rest of the way and home with their sixth consecutive victory.
Eli Ballstaedt scored 32 points for his second thirty-piece in three games and led the Knights in scoring, while Tillman Johnson recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. It's also the fourth time in the last five games that Southern Virginia has scored at least 80 points to cement themselves as an offensive juggernaut this season.
With the victory, the Knights improved to 10-2 and have nearly doubled their win total from last season. More importantly, they're 1-0 in the USA South, a conference that has been known to be tightly contested in recent years. The team will continue their conference schedule with a visit to Methodist on Tuesday, November 7th. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 PM.
For the most up-to-date information and details on the team, visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_hoops on Instagram.
