Toccoa, GA – In the second game of a Valentines Day doubleheader, the Regent University Men's Basketball team faced fellow NCCAA member Toccoa Falls College.  Friday's game was the first of a two-game road trip which saw the Royals traveling in the southeast of the Country.  The two teams have never met on the hardwood, and Regent was looking to come away with the first win to begin the series. 

The Screaming Eagles began the first half with a three-pointer, but Junior Darrin Clark (Suffolk, VA) was fouled on a fast break layup, where he converted the two free throws.  Toccoa Falls would go on a run and jump out to a seven-point lead until Freshman Brandon Williams (Windsor, NC) found Sophomore Micah Eastman (Virginia Beach, VA) for a quick layup.  On the next possession, Junior Joshua Vogt (Rochester, NY) came off the bench and immediately drained a three-pointer from the wing.  Eastman would score again with a short jumper and then find Vogt for a score underneath.  Vogt would do it again, after grabbing a pass from Clark for the transition score.  Another transition score, this time from Junior Damien Walters, Jr. (Matthews, VA), pulled the Royals to within two points and then the score was tied after a driving layup by Junior Anthony Chenault (Portsmouth, VA).  Another Walters basket kept the deficit at only two points and after a Toccoa Falls score, Walters would find the basket again.  A Clark long jumper, a turnaround from Eastman and three-pointer by Junior Maxamus Simms (Atlanta, GA) continued to keep Regent within striking distance, but as the teams headed to the locker rooms for halftime, the Royals trailed 47-37. 

The second half started with a Screaming Eagles score but after being fouled going to the basket, Sophomore Antoine Brown (Chesapeake, VA) connected on two free throws.  A three-point play by Eastman continued the scoring, but Toccoa Falls would go on a run forcing a Regent time out trailing 57-42.  Out of the timeout, Sophomore Brendan Goods (Long Beach, CA) hit a short jumper, and he followed that up with a long three-pointer.  Unfortunately, the Screaming Eagles would go on another run, until Simms hit his second three-pointer of the game.  Clark would also hit another three, then Brown was able to draw an offensive foul on the defensive end and get down the court for jumper in the paint.  He would do it again with a floater, to continue the Royals' run, forcing a Toccoa Falls timeout.  A quick Walters three-pointer pulled Regent closer and on the next possession, he would drain it again from the same spot.  The deficit would be cut to eight points after a Goods turnaround and then Chenault kept it under ten with a basket of his own.  Simms continued to find success, as would Vogt, from behind the three-point line but as the final buzzer sounded the Royals would fall by a score of 97-81.  

Eastman led the team with 18 points, while Walters finished with 16 points and four three-pointers.  In addition, Vogt added 12 points. 

Regent will be back in action on Saturday, February 15th when they conclude their road trip in Asheville, NC against Warren Wilson College.  Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00pm.