Eagles Basketball vs. LaGrange College

After falling Friday night to Trinity Baptist College in their third South Region matchup of the season, the Eagles fell to the Panthers of LaGrange College to a score of 77-66. The Panthers handed the Eagles their fifth consecutive loss of the season, bringing them to an overall 2-7 record. 

The Panther entered this match with a 5-2 record, falling only to Alabama State (Division I) and Shorter University (Division II). Tonight’s match against the Eagles commenced the start of a two-game road trip for the Panthers. The Panthers anticipate facing Division I, Samford University, as their second Division I opponent of the season. 

Both teams in the first half allowed many miscellaneous statistics to withhold their offense from excelling at their pinnacle potential. The Panthers shot 6/14 from the free-throw line (43%), preventing their largest lead of 9 points to possibly expand to a double-digit lead. While the Eagles started the game with an average of 16.5 turnovers per game, the Eagles turned the ball over 15 times in the first half, with six players with over two turnovers. As the teams entered the halftime break, LaGrange held a 40-33 lead over the Eagles.

The Panthers opened the first five minutes of the second half with a 9-2 scoring run, converting points off 5 early turnovers by the Eagles. The Panther led by as much as 23, having freshman guard Samuel Moss and sophomore Broddie Scott contributing 14 points each in their victory. After the Eagles attempted to fight back into the game, it was the LaGrange Panthers who pulled out the 77-66 victory over the Eagles.

Liam Gerdts, after only contributing one point in the first half, led all scorers with 18 points, converting nearly half the Eagles’ field goals in the second half. Malachi Herbster also recorded his first double-double of the season, having 10 points and 11 rebounds while also accumulating 4 blocks.