LaGrange got a career night from Henry Blair but came up short in a 80-75 loss to Piedmont in a USA South game Tuesday in Mariotti Gym. It was the second loss of the season for the Panthers (6-15, 5-9 USA South) to the Lions (12-9, 7-7 USA South).
Coach Kendal Wallace
"We just had a rough night. I thought we were ready to play coming off a two-game win streak. We knew exactly what they were going to do. Take your hat off to their number 11 Miles Riley. He knew when to take it to the basket and when not to. Piedmont is a good team; they're well coached and their players hit some big shots tonight. It would have been nice to win tonight and even things up in the conference race. At this point, we have to turn around and get ready for a big weekend at home and try to win these games. I really appreciate our fans coming out and being our sixth man for us. It was just a rough night for us turnovers wise and shooting from the perimeter."
First Half Highlights
- The Panthers led 32-31 at halftime despite shooting just 32.3 percent from the floor, including 4-of-16, from 3-point range.
- Piedmont led 9-2 three minutes into the game. LC tied the game 9-9 on back-to-back baskets by Ronald Youngblood and Drew Shepherd, then a trey from Blair.
- The score would be tied three times and the lead would change hands seven times.
- Blair had 12 of his points in the first half. Piedmont's Jordan Foote, who had 29 points in the first meeting between the teams, had only two points and three rebounds after picking up two fouls. He would finish the game with 12 points.
Second Half Highlights
- Shepherd tied the game for the fifth and final time at 42 with a 3-pointer with 15:59 left. Youngblood made the second of two free throws to put LC up 43-42. Foote's layup put the Lions ahead to stay, 44-43, but the Panthers stayed close.
- Piedmont opened up its biggest lead, 62-53, with 8:48 remaining.
- Trailing 70-63, the Panthers made a run at the Lions. Blair hit two free throws, then Kyle Brown forced a turnover. Cameron drained a 3-pointer off an assist from Porter Law to make a two-point game. Blair's free throw made it 70-69 with 1:42 left. Blair's dunk off an assist from Cameron after Law's steal kept LC within one, 72-71, with under a minute left.
- The Panthers got within two points twice in the final minute, the last with seven seconds left after a Cameron layup. Riley iced the game for Piedmont with three straight free throws for the 80-75 final.
Panther Leaders
- Cameron finished with 15 points and Youngblood 14.
- Lincoln Anderson finished with a game-high 13 rebounds and 8 points.
Up Next
The Panthers host Pfeiffer on Saturday at 4 p.m. and William Peace on Sunday at 2 p.m. in USA South games.
