ANDERSON, S.C. (Nov. 9, 2026) – The Morehouse basketball team made an early statement to open the 2026-27 season, knocking off No. 18 Anderson University, 82-77, in overtime Monday night at the Abney Athletic Center. Picked to finish first in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) preseason rankings, the Maroon Tigers used an aggressive defensive effort and a game-high 27 points from Sincere Moore to earn a hard-fought road victory over the nationally ranked Trojans.
First Half: Morehouse Takes Control Early
Morehouse wasted little time setting the tone, opening the game with a strong defensive effort that kept Anderson from finding an offensive rhythm. The Maroon Tigers jumped out to an early 9-2 advantage before extending their lead to double digits midway through the half. Moore helped fuel the offense, connecting on two three-pointers as Morehouse built a 31-14 lead with 6:28 remaining.
Morehouse's defensive pressure caused problems for Anderson throughout the opening 20 minutes. The Maroon Tigers recorded 12 steals, forced 12 turnovers and scored 14 points off those mistakes. They also took advantage of transition opportunities, scoring 15 fast-break points.
Jared White provided an early offensive spark, while Caleb Thompson and Jeremiah Lewis contributed inside. Morehouse shot 42.4 percent from the field and carried a comfortable 42-27 advantage into halftime.
Second Half: Anderson Rallies to Force Overtime
Anderson came out of the locker room determined to erase the deficit, opening the second half with seven unanswered points to cut the Morehouse lead to eight.
Moore answered with three consecutive baskets to help Morehouse regain control, pushing the advantage back to 14 points at 48-34. However, the Trojans continued to battle behind Kory Davis, Cedric Patterson and Blake Neill. Anderson used an 11-2 run to trim the deficit to 50-45 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Morehouse responded with another push. A three-pointer from Aiden Fletcher, followed by baskets from Logan McCormick and White, helped the Maroon Tigers rebuild their lead. Two free throws from Moore gave Morehouse a 65-53 advantage with 4:13 remaining.
The Trojans refused to go away, closing regulation on a 14-2 run. Patterson scored six points in the final four minutes, including a driving layup with 24 seconds remaining that tied the game at 67. Neither team scored again in regulation, sending the season opener into overtime.
Overtime: Maroon Tigers Finish Strong
Morehouse regrouped in the extra period, with Brandon Peters taking charge offensively. Peters opened overtime with a pair of free throws and added two more to give the Maroon Tigers a 71-68 advantage. McCormick followed with a alley-oop dunk from a Peters assist to extend the lead to five with 2:28 remaining.
With Anderson still within striking distance, Peters delivered one of the biggest baskets of the night, knocking down a three-pointer with 58 seconds remaining to push the Morehouse lead to 76-70. The Trojans continued to fight, but Morehouse answered at the free-throw line. Ebuka Peter and Thompson combined to make four straight free throws down the stretch.
Anderson's David Fonville connected on a three-pointer with three seconds remaining to make it 80-77, but Moore sealed the victory with two free throws. Morehouse outscored Anderson 15-10 in overtime, making all 10 of its free-throw attempts in the extra period to secure the five-point victory.
Morehouse Statistical Leaders
- Sincere Moore: Game-high 27 points, five rebounds, four steals and one block. Shot 7-of-12 from the field and a perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line.
- Brandon Peters: 14 points, six rebounds and a team-high three assists, including seven points in overtime.
- Jared White: 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
- Caleb Thompson: Nine points, a team-high nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.
- Logan McCormick: Seven points, eight rebounds, three steals and one block.
- Aiden Fletcher: Seven points, five rebounds and three steals.
Game Notes
- Morehouse opens 1-0 with the victory, while Anderson fell to 0-1.
- The Maroon Tigers entered the season as the SIAC preseason favorite, while Anderson was ranked No. 18 nationally in Division II.
- Morehouse recorded 16 steals and forced 18 Anderson turnovers while committing just 10 turnovers.
- The Maroon Tigers dominated scoring in the paint, outscoring Anderson 40-16.
- Morehouse held a 46-42 advantage on the boards, including 19 offensive rebounds.
- The Maroon Tigers scored 20 second-chance points compared to seven for Anderson.
- Morehouse finished with 18 fast-break points, compared to 10 for the Trojans.
- The Maroon Tigers made all 10 of their free-throw attempts in overtime.
- Moore led all scorers with 27 points and did not commit a turnover in 36 minutes.
- Morehouse led throughout the game, although Anderson tied the score late in regulation to force overtime.
Up Next
Morehouse continues its early-season road swing on Friday, Nov. 13, when the Maroon Tigers travel to Daytona Beach, Florida, to face Embry-Riddle University in the SIAC/Sunshine Challenge. Coming off an impressive victory over a nationally ranked opponent, Morehouse will look to carry that momentum into another challenging nonconference matchup as the Maroon Tigers continue preparations for SIAC play. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or Maroon Tiger basketball on Instagram @morehousebasketball.
