GREENSBORO, N.C. – Cornelius Jackson scored a game-high 27 points and teammate Darus Maddox added 20 as Greensboro College posted a 93-83 win over Brevard on Sunday in men's basketball action at Hanes Gymnasium.
Jackson, who finished 12-of-17 from the floor and 3-of-4 at the free throw line, was also responsible for four steals, four rebounds and three assists in the contest. Maddox also put together a solid all-around performance, hitting 6-of-13 from the field, 7-of-8 at the charity stripe, handing out six assists and forcing three steals.
The Pride (8-2) finished the game by hitting 33-of-60 (55%) from the floor and 9-of-19 (47.4%) from beyond the arc, received 16 points, six assists and six rebounds from starter Joseph Gatling. Daron Gipson provided Greensboro with 11 points, three assists and two steals off the bench in 23 minutes of play.
Four Tornados (4-15) topped the double-digit plateau including freshman Demari Hopper, who exploded for his season-high (21 points) by hitting 9-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-4 at the free throw line. Brevard, which hit 54.1 percent (33-61) from the field and 57.1 percent (12-21) from long distance, also received 14 point apiece from Stevie Williams, JaMarquis Johnson and Qadhafi Turner.
Facing a five-point deficit starting the second half, Brevard capitalized on a layup by Cannon Lamb and a free throw by Johnson in the first minute of play to make for a 46-44 contest. The two teams would trade baskets for the next two minutes before a layup by Williams pulled the Tornados even at 50.
Johnson and Gatling accounted for the next five points as the Pride built an eight-point advantage with an 11-3 run that included a 3-point conversion off the hand Johnson for Brevard. Levi Lamb and Turner found their range from long distance for the Tornados, who quickly pulled the game to four, 63-59, at the 11:01 mark.
Greensboro regained its previous offensive form and behind a trey from Gatling and jumpers from Johnson and Keyford Langley scored 10 unanswered points to assume a 14-point lead. The Pride would maintain that double-digit advantage, which eventually reached 16, until a pair of 3-pointers by Hopper at the four minute mark pulled Brevard within nine.
The trio of Hopper, Williams and Levi Lamb came through with nine points in the final three minutes of action, but they were not able to counter five points from Gatling as Greensboro emerged with the win.
Hopper, making his seventh straight start, got the offense off to a solid start as he scored seven of the teams first 12 points to provide Brevard with a 12-6 lead just over four minutes into the game. After Greensboro knotted the game at 12-all, Turner drove home a 3-pointer on a pass from Williams, to move the Tornados back in front by one.
Justin Minnis answered with a trey for Greensboro, which 16 of the next 21 points to take a 30-20 lead. The run was capped off by five points from Maddox, who drained a 3-pointer and connected on two free throws.
A pair of 3-pointers by Ke'Vel Kingsberry and Johnson coupled with four points by Williams sparked a Brevard rally that trimmed the Pride's lead to five, 35-30, with 3:34 remaining. Turner and Kingsberry would add 3-pointers down over the remainder of the frame, but Greensboro would take a 46-41 lead into the locker room.
The Tornados wrap up their three-game road stretch on Wednesday, Feb. 7, when they take on Maryville at 7:30 p.m.