Central, SC - The Southern Wesleyan University Warrios were defeated by the Emmanuel University Lions. This was the Warriors' final game of the 2023-24 Season, concluding it with a 4-24 record overall and 3-15 record in conference play. 

The Warriors were led in scoring by Che Smith with 16 and Aaron Tims with 10. Additionally, Tims had a team high in rebounds with 6 and Smith had a team high in steals with 4. As a team, the Warriors shot 18-60 (30.0%), 7-26 (26.9%), 9-14 (64.3%) from the free throw line. 



Game Vitals:

Final: Southern Wesleyan University 52, Emmanuel University 80

Records: Southern Wesleyan University (4-24, 3-15), Emmanuel University (22-5, 16-2)



How It Happened:

The final five starters of the season for the Warriors were Jonathan Taylor, Che Smith, Griffin Effenberger, Reco Hallmon, and Aaron Tims. On the Lions first possession of the game, Smith stripped the ball away from Spud Webb and found Hallmon in transition to open to scoring in the game. Both teams got off to somewhat slow starts on the offensive end, and the score was just 4-2 in favor of Emmanuel at the under-sixteen timeout. Smith did a terrific job on KJ Jones - the nation's leading scorer - for the entire night, but specifically in the first half. Jones didn't score until the 11:23 mark of the first half and had just 8 points and 6 turnovers at the halftime interval. The key to Emmanuel's separation in tonight's contest was an eight-minute scoring drought which ended at the 4:23 mark on an Eric Hackett made three. The Warriors had a much better offense stretch after the under-four timeout, but still trailed by 19 at halftime. 

Jones started to find a rhythm early in the second half as Smith, Hallmon, and Tims all ran into foul trouble. He had a very tough and-one to open the scoring in the period, but Effenberger answered with a strong layup on the other end. Che caught fire for SWU early about halfway through the half, He scored 13 straight Warrior points to keep the Lions from pulling away any further. However, he picked up his 4th personal foul with 10:55 left in the game, forcing him to the bench. KJ Jones would score his 3,000th point a couple of minutes later, and the Warriors were unable to mount a consistent offense threat, ending their season at the hands of Emmanuel.



What's Next:

Tonight was the Warriors final game of the 2023-24 Season. Three Seniors will graduate: Griffin Effenberger, Dyren Brown, and Sam Limehouse.