GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - Senior guard Nick Trull scored a game-high 30 points to lead the Anderson men's basketball team to a season-opening, 84-78, win past Barton Friday night in the South Atlantic Conference/Conference Carolinas Challenge hosted at Tusculum College's Pioneer Arena.

In the first meeting between the former conference rivals since the 2009-10 season, Anderson (1-0) jumped out to an early 7-2 advantage inside the first three minutes of action, but Barton (0-1) capitalized on seven turnovers and four missed shots over the next five minutes by the Trojans to go on a 16-2 run and gain their largest lead of the night, at 18-9, with 11:32 remaining in the first half.

However, Anderson countered with a 17-8 outburst of its own to knot the score for just the second time of the contest, at 26 apiece with 2:28 on the clock. Six different Trojans contributed as the Trojans pulled even, with junior C.J. Gleaton and sophomore forward Kyle Sledge each scoring four points.

The Bulldogs regained the lead behind accurate free throw shooting in the closing moments and held a 35-29 halftime advantage.

Barton pushed out to a 45-36 cushion with 16:37 left in the contest and still held an eight-point margin at the 13:50 mark, before the Trojans began battling back. Trull ignited the comeback with a 3-pointer to pull AU within 50-45, then drained another trey midway through the half to edge AU within a single point, at 55-54.

The Charlotte, N.C., native erupted for 14 of his 28 second-half points during a four-minute span, with his third trey of the half giving AU its first lead since the 16:51 mark of the first half.

With the score tied, 70-70, and 4:15 remaining on the clock, Trull and Gleaton combined to score nine unanswered points and gave the Trojans a lead they would not relinquish.

Barton closed within four in the final moments, but it was as close as the Bulldogs would get, as AU hit free throws down the stretch.

Trull equaled his career-high, set previously in Dec., 2008 versus Carson-Newman. Junior guard Denzail Jones added 13 points and handed out a team-high three assists. Senior center Taylor Shugart pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.

Anderson will get back on the court quickly, as the Trojans square off against Mt. Olive College Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.