ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The Anderson men's basketball team trimmed a late 21-point second-half deficit to just two with just more than two minutes remaining, but was unable to complete the comeback as the Trojans fell, 70-66, to Flagler on the second day of the 2015 South Atlantic Conference - Peach Belt Conference Challenge, hosted by the Saints Sunday night at the Flagler Gymnasium.

Anderson slipped to 1-1 with the setback, while Flagler moved to 1-1 on the young season.

Freshman guard Randall Shaw led all players with 20 points, including 16 in the second half, while recording six rebounds. Junior center Rakish Taylor posted a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while freshman guard Shawn Benard tallied 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes of action.

The Trojans won the battle of the boards, 43-37, but shot just 38.8 percent from the field, including going just 2-of-20 from beyond the 3-point arc. AU controlled the paint, outscoring the Saints, 44-16, from close range and scored 16 points off 14 Flagler turnovers.

Anderson's Tre' Fields opened the game's scoring with a 3-pointer, but the lead was short-lived, as the Saints answered with five straight points to take a lead they would not surrender. Behind five treys in the opening 20 minutes, Flagler held a 38-27 advantage at the break and held the double-digit lead, while steadily building a 62-41 cushion with 7:37 remaining in the contest.

Benard ignited the furious rally with a driving layup, as the Trojans exploded for a 21-2 run over the next five minutes to battle back within 64-62 at the 2:18 mark. Shaw and Benard fueled the surge with nine and seven points, respectively, while Lex Davis capped the run with back-to-back layups. But Flagler's Vaughn McCall countered with a pair of jumpers to slow the Black and Gold's comeback and push the Saints' advantage to 68-62. Shaw then traded a jumper for a pair of free throws by FC's Ben Bobbitt and Benard dropped in a layup in the final moments to set the final score.

Anderson will get back on the hardwood Wednesday, when the Trojans visit Georgia College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Centennial Center in Milledgeville, Ga.