Easley powers Trojans past Anderson

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on February 8, 2009 2:00 AM

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MOC Sports Information

ANDERSON, S.C. -- Junior All-America candidate Kendrick Easley pumped in 21 points and dished out seven assists as Mount Olive College stopped Anderson (S.C.) University 86-73 on the Conference Carolinas men's basketball scene Saturday afternoon.

Craig Hayes provided 12 of his 19 points in the second half for the Trojans, who improved to 13-7 overall this season and 12-1 against league opposition.

Senior point guard Justin Melton finished with 17 points for the Trojans on 7 of 7 shooting from the floor, including a nine-point effort from 3-point range. Melton also contributed five rebounds, five steals and four steals.

Derek Staton just missed his first-ever collegiate double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

Mount Olive shot a blistering 64 percent (16 of 25) from the field in the second half and 57.9 percent for the game. That included a 10 for 17 showing behind the 3-point line.

Taylor Shugart scored Anderson's first six points of the second half to force the ninth tie of the game at 44-44 with 17:54 left to play. Easley's tip-in put Mount Olive back on top and Melton followed with a steal and fast-break dunk as the Trojans led the rest of the way.

Mount Olive held a three-point lead when Easley and Aaron Dobson combined for all of the Trojans' points in a 12-2 run. Dobson's second three-pointer gave the Trojans a 62-49 advantage with 12:40 remaining.

Anderson got as close as nine points, but Staton pushed the lead back to double figures on a conventional three-point play with 6:52 left and the margin never fell below 11 the remainder of the game. Three-pointers by Melton and Easley capped a 13-3 run, and gave Mount Olive its biggest lead -- 80-61 -- with 3:54 left in the game.