Box Score Due West, S.C. – Erskine (8-3, 4-3) shot a season-worst 8 of 24 from the free throw line, including just 4 of 11 in the last minute, in a one point loss, 73 to 74, to the Crusaders of Belmont Abbey (10-4, 3-4) in Conference Carolinas men’s basketball action at Belk Arena.

Trailing by five with a minute remaining, Erskine attacked the basket drawing six shooting fouls.  Unfortunately, Erskine missed seven of eleven free throws with twice having an opportunity to tie the game from the line.

Two Fleet players put up “double-doubles” on the day.  Junior DeShaun Hall (Inman, SC, Landrum High School) scored 16 points with a game-high 10 rebounds while fellow junior Mike Gabbard (Erlanger, KY, Boone County High School) knocked down 11 points and handed out 10 assists.  Hall also had 4 of the team’s season-best 8 blocks.  Freshman Roderick Perkins (Smyrna, GA, Campbell High School) led the Fleet for the third consecutive game in scoring with 19 points.  He also 6 rebounds along with 3 blocks and 3 steals. 

The Crusaders were led by Tyshawn Good and Terrone Sheffey with 18 points each.  Good also had 6 assists.
At the start of the game, the Fleet used their defensive pressure to take an early 19 to 4 lead while forcing the Abbey into 11 turnovers. 

The Abbey trimmed that lead to ten points at 42 to 32 by intermission and used their own defensive pressure to tie the game midway through the second half.  The lead exchanged hands five times over the next several minutes of play before the Abbey took the lead for good on Jay Council’s 3-point shot with four minutes remaining.

Erskine heads to Gaffney, South Carolina, on Wednesday to play in-state conference rival Limestone College.  Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.