FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11-17-06

Men's College Basketball: AASU 70, Truman State 67

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Armstrong Atlantic State men's basketball squad overcame an 18-point deficit with 10:57 remaining in the second half to knock off Truman State, 70-67, in its 2006-07 season opener at the Hillyard Tipoff Classic on Friday evening in St. Joseph, Mo.

Senior Tory Harris capped his 24-point night with two free throws with five seconds remaining to give AASU a one-point lead. After a steal by sophomore Kevin Parker, junior Jamaal Galloway sank two free throws to seal the victory, the fourth straight for the Pirates in season-openers. AASU (1-0) will wrap up action in the Hillyard TipOff Classic by facing host Missouri Western State at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Truman State jumped out to a seven-point halftime lead behind the duo of Austin Kirby and Grant Agbo, who combined to go 9-for-12 from the field for 23 points, staking the Bulldogs to a 38-31 advantage. Kirby would hit four three-pointers in the early stages of the second half, his last coming with 10:57 left and putting the Bulldogs up by 18, 58-40.

At that point, Harris and the Pirates went to work, going on a 14-3 run over the next four minutes - with eight of the 14 points scored by the senior guard. Harris would tie the game at 64-all with 1:46 left on a basket, then put the Pirates ahead for good with his late free throws. Harris went a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe as the Pirates as a team hit 18-of-20 free throws on the night.

Senior Bryan Taylor added 16 points and now stands just five points shy of 1,000 for his AASU career. Junior Patrick Sanou came off the bench to notch 14 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots. Truman State was led by Kirby's 24 points - including 6-of-10 three-pointers - and Agbo's 16 points.

The Pirates turned the ball over just four times on the evening and completed the 18-point second-half comeback without making a three-point basket after intermission.

-Pirates-