Brevard, N.C. – The Brevard College men’s basketball team returned home on Saturday night, however, it was not a pleasant homecoming as the Tornados lost a heartbreaker to Erskine College, 55-51.

 

The loss drops BC to 1-8 overall, while Erskine improved to 3-3 with the win.

 

For the fourth straight game, the Tornados found themselves down from the get go as the Flying Fleet of Erskine took an early 11-2 advantage with a little over 11 minutes remaining in the first half. 

 

However, the Tornados’ offense finally found their groove as they would out score Erskine 25-10 in the final 11 minutes of the opening half to take a 27-21 lead into the halftime break.

 

The first 20 minutes was a defensive battle among both squads as the Tornados held Erskine to 7-of-26 shooting from the floor, 26.9 percent, and 0-of-12 from the three-point line. Although BC shot 47.6 percent from the floor, including going 5-of-11 from three-point land, the Erskine defense forced the Tornados into 10 first half turnovers.

 

In the second half the defenses again controlled the pace of the game; however, BC was able to push their lead to as high 13 points, 43-30, with only 7:39 remaining in the contest.

 

However, Erskine began to heat up on both ends of the floor as over the next six minutes the Flying Fleet went on an 18-6 run led by their full-court pressure defense and outside shooting to cut BC’s lead to one at 49-48.

 

With less than a minute remaining in the game, Erskine guard Brandon Wright hit his second straight three-pointer to put Erskine ahead for the first time since the early minutes of the first half, 51-49 with only 38 seconds left.

 

The Tornados would not score on their next offensive possession allowing Erskine to seal the win with four consecutive free-throws in the closing seconds.

 

A late lay-up by BC’s Cody Siniard put the Tornados down only four, 55-51, but it was too little to late as time ran out on the home team and giving the 55-51 win to Erskine College.

 

Sophomore Jonathan Whitson led the Tornados in both scoring and rebounding on the night, as he had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Joseph Chilton had the hot hand on Saturday, as he scored 12 points all coming off four three-point baskets.

 

For Erskine College, Brandon Wright had 16 points and six rebounds, as he hit four three-pointers all in the second half of play. Nathan Jones was also in double-figures in scoring with 14 points as he went 6-of-7 from the floor.

 

The Tornados will not return to competitive play until the new year, as they will have the next three weeks off due to end of semester exams and Christmas break. BC’s next game will be at home on Thursday, January 3, as they will look to start 2008 out on the right track, as they host the Cobras of Virginia Intermont College at 8 p.m. The Tornados defeated Virginia Intermont earlier this season in overtime, as they overcame a double-digit second half deficit to win 71-70.

 

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