MELBOURNE, Fla. – Playing in their first game of the 2018-19 season the Auburn Montgomery men's basketball team used a balanced attack to earn a 71-65 victory over Florida Tech on Friday afternoon at the 2018 NCAA South Region Tipoff hosted by the Panthers, as junior guard Carlos Bell led the way for the Warhawks with 19 points and 11 rebounds in his first game wearing the Orange & Black.
 
NOTES
• AUM improves to 1-0 on the season while FIT drops to 0-1.
• The Warhawks took a 39-36 lead into the half.
• AUM wins its opening game of the season for the first time since 2015-16.
• Today marked the first meeting between the two schools.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Bell recorded a double-double, leading all players in the points and boards. Bell also tallied three steals and a block.
• Junior guard Tre Hansbrough was second on the team in scoring, recording 13 points in only 17 minutes of action. Hansbrough also had three steals for AUM.
• Junior forward Aaron Reddick had seven rebounds, six points and four blocks off the bench.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The two teams traded buckets back and forth to start the contest until FIT was able to build and 18-11 lead at the 11:27 mark in the first half. AUM would mount a comeback, pulling to within 25-24 on a jumper by Kenneth Keith with 4:56 to play in the frame.
• The Panthers would respond with a 5-0 run to push their lead to 30-24 with 4:00 on the clock. After a pair of free throws by Bell cut the deficit to 30-26 a trey by Hansbrough pulled the Warhawks to within a point of the Panthers. Bell would give the Orange & Black the lead at the 2:48 mark with a fast break layup to go up 31-30.
• After trading points once again a three-pointer by Keith with just over a minute to go and a put-back layup in the closing seconds gave AUM a 39-36 lead heading into the break.
• Darrion Taylor gave the Warhawks a 42-36 lead to start the second half by hitting a trey in the opening minute of the frame. However, the Panthers would go on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 42-42 with 16:23 to go. AUM would regain the lead but FIT would not go down quietly, eventually going up 51-49 with 9:38 to play.
• After falling behind 58-51 with 7:38 on the clock the Warhawks defense would hold FIT scoreless for the next four minutes while the offense went on a 13-0 run capped off by a three-pointer by Stanley Davis. Now leading 64-58 with 3:36 to play, a pair of free throws by the Panthers ended the FIT drought and made it a four-point contest.
• FIT pulled to within a field goal moments later at 64-62 with 2:42 to play, but the AUM defense held the Panthers scoreless for the next two minutes. The Warhawks increased their lead to 70-62 before FIT could get a three-pointer to go in with 22 seconds remaining, however, the comeback bid fell short as AUM converted one more free throw to win by the final of 71-65.
 
QUOTING THE COACH
"I have to tip my hat to our players for starting the season with a victory over a very good team," said head coach Michael Cheaney. "Florida team is well-coached team, and they played a 2-1-2 defense that three us off of our game plan in the early goings. We hung in there showing perseverance and toughness when we were behind in the second half. Carlos Bell did a great job of guarding their best player while also leading us offensively and defensively. Aaron Reddick did a great job off the bench and pulled down some big rebounds down the stretch. Stanley Davis came off the bench and had a big three and EJ Card came in and went 4-for-4 at the free throw line to contribute. Also Tre Hansbrough came off the bench and scored 13 so it was just a good team win. It was a good day for the Warhawks."
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
• AUM outscored FIT 31-18 in the paint.
• The Warhawks had 29 points of the bench to just seven for the Panthers.
• The Orange & Black outscored FIT 25-16 in points off turnovers.
• AUM converted 17-21 free throw attempts, including 8-10 in the second half to help secure the victory.
 
UP NEXT
The Warhawks will play Rollins College tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. on day two of the NCAA South Region Tipoff.
 
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