The Bruins basketball team came out strong in the opening minutes, but it wasn't enough as the team fell in the opening preseason game of the 2016-17 season in a 75-66 loss to Spartanburg Methodist College.
"We missed some opportunities in the second half and struggled a bit on defense," Head coach Neal Ring said. "We played a quality opponent tonight and they showed us some areas we need to improve going forward."
The team got strong play on the night from Marshall Riddle who finished with 17 points while Dustin Killough contributed 11 points in the game. The two teams traded baskets in the opening minutes of the half, but neither were able to build a sizable lead. The Bruins cycled in several players as the coaches made adjustments and presented different lineup combinations for the players to gain experience. The team had several glimpses of great rhythm as the ball movement and passing turned into easy buckets.
The Bruins also did well defensively against a strong and long Pioneers team. Forward Quez Fisher had 9 boards on the night and the team was able to force a number of turnovers throughout the game. At the half, the Bruins had a slim 37-35 lead.
In the second half, the Pioneers came out strong with several short offensive runs in the opening minutes to gain the upper hand. The Bruins couldn't seem to find a response offensively as the game began to slip away. Still, the Bruins continued to battle and rode the hot hand of Marshall Riddle as the junior guard hit several big shots from beyond the arc. Justin Matthews provided a spark in the late stages of the game with a three-point shot, but the rally came too late as the Bruins fell to the Pioneers 75-66.
The Bruins shot 35% from the floor throughout the game while committing 18 turnovers. Next up, the Bruins will play in their final preseason game on October 17 as they welcome USC Salkehatchie to the Davis Field House.
