GAFFNEY, S.C. – Junior guard Mason Carver sank the go-ahead basket and the Trojans were 8-for-10 from the free throw line inside the final three minutes, as the Anderson men's basketball team slipped past Limestone, 77-74, in South Atlantic Conference action, Saturday afternoon at the Timken Center.

Anderson improved to 9-9 overall and 6-8 in conference action with its second straight victory and fourth consecutive win over the Saints. Limestone fell to 6-9 and 4-8 with its third straight setback.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior guard Crosby James II poured in a game-high 24 points and was 11-of-13 (84.6%) from the free throw line on the day, with freshman guard Myles Jenkins adding 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting accuracy from the field. Carver netted 10 points and handed out a team-high three assists, while junior forward Mack Burgett tossed in eight points and pulled down a game-high, career-high 12 rebounds in 23 minutes of action. The Richmond, Va., native was 4-of-6 from the field.

Guard Quin Nottingham scored seven points, with Josh Livingston grabbing seven rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
The Saints scored the first seven points of the contest and raced out to a 16-2 lead less than six minutes into the opening half. The Trojan offense finally got untracked, but they still trailed by 13 (28-15) with less than eight minutes left in the opening frame, before Jenkins threw down a dunk that ignited a 22-5 run over the next four-plus minutes that turned the deficit into a four-point lead.

James added six points to go along with Jenkins' five to help fuel the rally, as AU took a 37-33 lead when James drained his first 3-pointer of the afternoon at the 1:59 mark. Limestone's Ben Gahlert set the halftime score at 37-35 when he dropped in a layup 10 seconds later.

Second Half
The second frame was not as one-sided either way, with the final 20 minutes featuring five ties and six lead changes, with neither team able to build more than a seven-point cushion.

The Saints overtook the Trojans less than five minutes into the second half and claimed a 51-46 edge, before Jenkins scored seven points as part of a 13-1 spurt by AU, as the Trojans grabbed a 59-52 advantage with 11:52 remaining.

The scoreboard showed three more ties and a layup by Saints' senior Ayo Dada gave the home team a brief 68-67 edge at the 3:41 mark and set up the Trojans' clutch free throw shooting. Carver answered Dada's layup with one of his own and the Trojans would not trail again, as they went 8-for-10 at the line down the stretch, with Jenkins and James going a perfect 6-for-6 to fend off the Saints.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
The Trojans' 24 made free throws marked their second-highest total of the season – behind just the 25 made free throws in the win over UVA Wise. The 33 free throws attempted equaled the 33 free throw attempts in the win over the Cavaliers.

NOTABLES
• The Trojans were 12-for-15 (80.0%) from the charity stripe in the final 7:22.
• AU will be playing its fourth contest in 10 days when Carson-Newman invades the Abney Athletic Center, Monday night.
• AU has now won four straight over the Saints for the first time in the history of the overall series between the two programs.
• Anderson and Limestone have met 37 times overall with the Saints holding a 20-17 advantage in a series that began in 1996.
• The Trojans improved to 3-6 on the road this season.
• Mack Burgett's 12 rebounds matched Josh Livingston and Jalen Hillery for most rebounds in a game this season.
• Limestone edged the Trojans on the boards, 39-35.
• AU out-shot the Saints, 45.3%-41.3%.

UP NEXT
The Trojans return to the Abney Athletic Center for a brief one-game homestand, as they make up a postponed contest against Carson-Newman, Monday night. AU will be looking to avenge an earlier 80-57 loss to the Eagles in Jefferson City, Tenn. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.