Pierce Post Career-high as Greensboro College Falls to Pfeiffer, 99-78

Courtesy of Bryan Jones, Greensboro College SID:

MISENHEIMER, N.C.—Greensboro College’s Bradley Pierce scored a career-high 24 points as the Pride dropped a Friday afternoon USA South Athletic Conference (USA South) contest to Pfeiffer University, 99-78.

Pfeiffer broke a 7-7 tie 5:05 into the opening period with a three-point field goal and then posted an 8-2 run over the next 1:35 to extend their lead, 15-9. The Pride cut the lead to three points three times and two points once up to the 10:40 mark of the period, but the Falcons extended their lead to nine points, 28-19, at the 9:12 mark. Pfeiffer’s lead grew as large as 12 points twice in the period, but then a three-point field goal from Amillia Huggins at the 7:13 mark brought the Pride deficit back down to nine. After a 5-0 run from the Pride, the Falcons brought the lead back to double digits at the 6:12 mark with Matthew Brown making a jumper on the next possession to bring the lead back down to eight points. Pfeiffer hit their largest lead, 15 points, at the 3:32 mark of the period, but the Pride closed out the period on a 13-2 run in a 2:56 stretch late the period to cut the Pfeiffer lead down to four. A tip-in from the Falcons at the buzzer extended the Pfeiffer lead back to six points at halftime.

Pfeiffer pumped the lead back to 12 points 2:35 into the second half as the Falcons held the lead in double digits in the opening minutes. The Pride chopped the lead down to eleven points on a Zachary Moser three-point field goal at the 15:49 mark of the period, but the Falcons elevated their advantage back up to 14 points in the next possession. A Bradley Pierce three-point shot brought the lead back to nine points, but the Falcons gained steam. The Falcons’ lead grew as large as 20 points at the 6:23 mark and two more times in later possessions. Greensboro cut the lead down to 13 points on a Pierce layup, but the Pride could not get the lead any lower as Pfeiffer grew their advantage to their largest lead, 21 points, with 2:13 remaining on the way to victory.

The Pride shot 52.5 percent from the field, including seven-for 23 (30.4 percent) from three-point range. Pfeiffer shot 47.9 percent from the field, including 14-for34 (41.2 percent) from the perimeter.

The Falcons held the rebounding edge, 43-24, and second-chance points, 17-5 thanks to a 17-4 Pfeiffer advantage on the offensive glass. Pfeiffer’s bench outscored the Pride’s reserves, 39-9.

Pierce’s 24 points came on eight-for-14 shooting in an effort where he added three steals. Brown added 21 points on ten-for-18 shooting while pulling down five rebounds. Huggins was the remaining Pride player in double-figure scoring, posting 15 points on six-for-ten shooting.

Jamaal David led the Falcons with 19 points on six-for-ten shooting. Sean Scott added 18 points on five-for-six shooting.

The Pride and the Falcons face off against Sunday at 2 p.m. inside Hanes Gym for the second game in the team’s home-and-home USA South series.