MISENHEIMER, N.C. (Feb. 9, 2024) --The Pfeiffer University men's basketball team fell to the Southern Virginia Knights 78-75 at home Friday on Matthew Hale's buzzer-beating three-pointer.

The Falcons (8-11, 5-6) had four players score in double figures, led by Daniel Fulp, who had 15 points and eight rebounds. Justin Gaten tacked on 15 points off of the bench and Daymon Beckwith chipped in as well with 13 points and four assists.

Pfeiffer grabbed 47 rebounds in Friday's game compared to Southern Virginia's 37, led by Doug Smith's 14 boards. The Falcons also put in work on the offensive glass, turning 17 rebounds into 21 second chance points.

Pfeiffer did a great job disrupting Southern Virginia shots in the contest, coming away with eight blocks. Smith's eight rejections led the way individually for the Falcons.

How It Happened

After falling behind 29-11, Pfeiffer went on a 7-0 run with 6:52 left in the first half to narrow its deficit to 29-18. The Falcons continued to close the gap, cutting the Southern Virginia lead to 38-29 by the end of the first half.

Pfeiffer narrowed its deficit to 48-40 before going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Clayton Robinson's layup, to shrink the deficit to 48-47 with 16:01 to go in the contest. Southern Virginia responded and outscored the Falcons the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 78-75. Pfeiffer got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 12 of its 46 total points.

Tied at 75-75, Pfeiffer was poised for a game-winning opportunity, but a turnover led to Hales running shot at the buzzer from about 30 feet fell, stunning the Falcons, 78-75.  The win was the first for SVU over Pfeiffer in Merner Gym and just the second in the head-to-head series.

Game Notes

» Doug Smith made an impact defensively with eight blocks in the contest.

» Pfeiffer outrebounded the Knights, 47-37.

» The Falcons were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording eight blocks as a team.
» Pfeiffer cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 17 offensive boards in the game.
» Daniel Fulp and Justin Gaten led the Falcons with 15 points apiece.
» Pfeiffer got a game-high 14 rebounds from Doug Smith.

Up Next
Pfeiffer will look to bounce back from the disappointing loss when they host league-leading Mary Baldwin University on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 4:00 p.m as part of Alumni Day festivities