ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — Tyus Williams poured in a game-high 30 points to lift Mid-Atlantic Christian University to an 85-82 victory over Greensboro College on Saturday in a back-and-forth battle that featured 10 ties and nine lead changes at the Roger Taylor Invitational.

Williams, a senior forward, was unstoppable from beyond the arc, hitting 4 of 6 three-pointers while adding five rebounds and two assists. His layup with 47 seconds remaining gave Mid-Atlantic Christian an 83-82 lead it would not relinquish.

“We knew it would come down to execution in the clutch,” said Mid-Atlantic Christian coach Charles Sims. “Tyus stepped up huge. We capitalized on their mistakes.”

The Mustangs also drained 9 of 16 three-pointers (56.3%) and leaned on 20 bench points to build a 44-43 halftime edge. Janus Shepherd chipped in 11 points and three assists for the Mustangs, while Clough nearly posted a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds.

In Friday’s game, MACU got a game-high 32 points from Janus Shepherd but fell to host NC Wesleyan 100-83.

In Friday’s opener, fellow New South member Apprentice School’s Shamon Rosser erupted for 20 of his 24 points in the second half, powering the Builders to a stunning 84-77 comeback victory over Greensboro.

Rosser, a guard/forward, was nearly perfect from the field (6-for-7) and solid from the free-throw line (11-for-17), adding eight rebounds and two steals to help Apprentice erase a 35-21 halftime deficit. The Builders outscored the Pride 63-42 after the break, shooting an eye-popping 74.1% from the field in the second half.

On Saturday, Apprentice struggled against NC Wesleyan, falling 66-51. Builder sophomore forward Jahlil Hope tied for leading scorer with 14 points.

Image courtesy Carl Lewis

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The fourth-seeded Apprentice School men’s basketball team put up big numbers in the second half to advance to the USCAA semifinals with a 85-61 win over No. 5 Southeastern Illinois Tuesday night at Burt Flickinger Arena. Meanwhile, sixth-seed Mid-Atlantic Christian lost a hard-fought battle with No. 3 Villa Maria 60-55, ending the Mustang’s first appearance in the national tournament.

With the win, the Builders will take on No. 8 Berkeley in the semifinals Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Burt Flickinger Arena. The Knights knocked off top-seeded Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse, 81-68, in their quarterfinal.

Both teams came out firing in a back-and-forth affair, finding themselves tied up at 11-11 five minutes into the contest. The Builders tried to pull away, extending their lead to six, but the Falcons fought back to retake the lead at 23-20 with 6:54 to go in the first half. Apprentice answered with a 12-0 run to regain the advantage before SIC responded with five straight points to cut the lead back to 32-28. The Builders finished the half on a 6-2 run to take a 38-30 lead into intermission.

From there, the game was firmly in the hands of the defending national champs. After the start of the second half teetered around a 14 point lead for Apprentice, the Builders went on a 21-3 run to extend their lead to 70-40 midway through the second period. The Falcons never really caught any momentum from that point on as the Builders held the lead around the 20 point mark the remainder of the game to advance to the semifinals for a third consecutive season.

Adrion Wall, the Player of the Year for USCAA Division I, led all scorers with 19 points, coming up one rebound and three assists shy of a triple-double. He also added a block and two steals to his stat line without turning the ball over. Donovan Means added 13 points with seven boards while playing in foul trouble, and Wayne Hedgepeth came off the bench to add 12 points.

Story and image courtesy Apprentice Athletics

BUFFALO, N.Y. – For the first time, the New South Athletic Conference has sent two teams to the USCAA Division I Small College National Tournament which begins tonight.

Apprentice, which received a fourth seed, will start its defense of the national championship against fifth-seeded Southeastern Illinois in the opening round Tuesday in Buffalo, New York. Apprentice is on the same side of the bracket as top-seeded Bryant & Stratton-Syracuse and eighth-seeded Berkeley.

Mid-Atlantic Christian is in the tournament for the first time in program history. The sixth-seeded Mustangs will take on No. 3 Villa Maria. Last year’s runner-up Lyon claimed the No. 2 seed and will take on seventh-seeded Bryant & Stratton-Buffalo. The Bobcats are co-hosting the event with Villa Maria. round.

Live video will be made available for every game of the tournament courtesy of the USCAA Sports Network on a pay-per-view basis. Live stats will also be available for every game.

Story courtesy Walker McCrary/Apprentice Athletics