DANVILLE, Va. – T.C. Anderson (Morrisville, N.C./Green Hope) scored 15 of his game- and career-high 20 points in the second half of Guilford College's 61-52 men's basketball win at Averett University Tuesday night. Anderson also added a game- and personal-best 12 rebounds for the Quakers (3-2), who are ranked 19th in the preseason D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll.
The contest marked the first meeting between Guilford coach Tom Palombo and Averett boss Matt Parke. Parke took the Averett job this summer after spending the previous four years as Palombo's top assistant at Guilford.
Anderson did most of his damage at the free-throw line, where he made 13-of-14 second-half shots. Averett (1-4) committed 27 fouls in the game, which helped Guilford take 13 more free throws than the Cougars. The Quakers were 17-of-22 from the line in the second half, including 13-of-14 in the final 2:32.
Neither team shot over 30 percent from the floor in the highly defensive affair. Guilford's second-half free-throw shooting helped the Quakers overcome a four-for-24 shooting effort from the floor. Leading scorer Josh Pittman (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) was held to one point, a free throw with 12 seconds left in the game. What Guilford lacked in offense, it made up in defense as the Quakers forced the Cougars into 18 turnovers (13 in the second half), which led to 19 Guilford points.
Martin Stephenson (Cary, N.C./Cary) and Tobi Akinsola (Cary, N.C./Word of God Christian Academy (Bethany)) both scored 11 points for Guilford. Akinsola had six in the second half, including a layup midway through the period that broke a 40-40 tie. He also had seven rebounds, which helped the Quakers enjoy a 49-41 edge on the glass.
Despite three-of-18 shooting from the floor, Victor Cortes shared team-high scoring honors for Averett. Teammate Steven Terry knocked down three three-pointers and scored 13 points off the bench. Kenny Hart had 12 points and Marquis Scott contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Guilford hosts North Carolina Wesleyan College Dec. 1 at 7:00 p.m.