Box Score Due West, S.C. – The Erskine Flying Fleet (4-6, 2-3) could not overcome a poor outside shooting performance, losing to the Belmont Abbey Crusaders (1-11, 1-4) 59 to 57 tonight in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action at Belk Arena.
 
The Fleet went just 1 for 23 from behind the arc.  Ironically, Erskine's Arvel Atwater, Jr. (Capitol Heights, MD, Suitland High School) hit the Fleet's first and only 3-point basket on the Fleet's opening possession of the game.
 
With the Fleet struggling from the outside, the Crusaders sat in their zone defense and built their lead to 29 to 12 midway through the first half.  The Crusaders' Ray Chen and Nick Hough led the charge, each scoring six points apiece.
 
Erskine managed to trim the lead to ten points by intermission.  Senior DeShaun Hall (Inman, SC, Landrum High School) scored on three consecutive possessions while the Flying Fleet defensively held the Crusaders scoreless.
 
The Fleet opened the second half with an 8-0 run to draw within a basket at 35 to 33.  Atwater ignited the run with a jumper from the corner and freshman Ray Lock (Aiken, SC, Oak Hill Academy) capped it off after putting back a miss by teammate Brandon Wilkerson.
 
The Fleet never trailed by more than six for the reminder of the game but could not gain the lead to the disappointment of the home crowd.
 
Erskine was led by Hall's game-high 22 points.  Lock led the Fleet on the boards with a game-high 7 rebounds.  He also contributed 10 points.  Sophomore Maurice Daniels, Jr. (Spartanburg, SC, Dorman High School) also finished in double-figures with 11 points.
 
The Crusaders were led by Markel Pollard's 17 points and 6 rebounds.  Hough finished with 15 points while Deion Lane came off the bench to contribute 10 points. 
 
Erskine returns to action Saturday against Pfeiffer University.  Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.