Falcon Comeback Falls Short in 71-66 Setback at Covenant

Lookout Mountain, Ga. (Jan. 4, 2020) – The Pfeiffer University men's basketball team nearly clawed back from a 19-point deficit, but the comeback fell short in a 71-66 USA South loss to Covenant College at the Barnes PE Center in Lookout Mountain, Ga. On Saturday afternoon.

After being down, 39-20 at the beginning of the second half, Pfeiffer chipped away at its deficit and got within six points (48-42) after Sean Scott (Waldorf, Md.) hit a jumper with 10:26 remaining. Covenant stretched the lead to nine, but the visiting Falcons used a 10-3 run to trim the Covenant lead to 58-56 with 6:10 left.

Covenants Will Crumly had the response for the Scots as his layup and subsequent 3-pointer gave Covenant a 63-58 lead with 4:07 remaining. Pfeiffer would cut intothe lead again as Craig Sabb (Goose Creek, S.C.) hit a mid-range jumper that pulled the Falcons to within 63-62, but Crumly's layup with two minutes left and a Chris Barnette jumper with under a minute to go put the Scots back up by five. A pair of Mitchell Hollis free throw with two seconds remaining sealed the win for the Scots.

Barnette nearly had a triple-double with a game-high 23 points to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Crumly added 17 points and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the field with eight rebounds. Noah Oetjen scored nine points with six rebounds off the bench.

Pfeiffer was led by Jamaal David's 17 points and eight rebounds, while Sabb had 15 points and Scott 13 points. The Falcons were limited to 40 percent (24-of-60) shooting for the game with just five three-pointers, their lowest tally from beyond the arc since the season-opener against Virginia Wesleyan.

Pfeiffer will return home to Merner Gym on Tuesday, Jan. 7 to host USA South foe Averett University at 7:00 p.m.