Coker Drops SAC Opener to Newberry 89-83

NEWBERRY, S.C. – The Coker men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, 89-83, to the Newberry College Wolves on Wednesday (Nov. 20) night. The loss, Coker's first in the South Atlantic Conference, drops the Cobras to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the SAC.

Four different Cobras scored in double figures. Larry Felder was the team's leading scorer for the third consecutive game. He dropped 21 points and pulled down six rebounds. Sharod Williams earned the game's only double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Errick Bethel scored 15 points and had eight steals. Julian Nelson added 14 points.

It was a tightly contested game with 19 lead changes and nine ties. In the first half Newberry took an early lead, but a 16-8 run midway through the half gave the Cobras the lead with 7:22 left on the clock. Both teams exchanged leads over the next five minutes with Coker taking as much as a five point lead, 37-32, with 2:53 remaining. A quick five-point swing by the Wolves tied the game. They then took a 41-40 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The second half began much like the first ended, with neither team gaining more than a two or three point advantage. The Cobras took control of the game for nearly 10 minutes during the second half, building as much as a seven-point lead. Unfortunately for Coker, the Wolves 23-14 run in the final six minutes allowed them to take home the victory.

Coker will return home for its next game on Saturday (Nov. 23). The game will be the home opener for the Cobras. They will take on the Eagles of Carson-Newman at 4 p.m.