KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Bluefield University men's basketball ran into a hot-shooting Johnson squad Wednesday night, falling 93–61 in Appalachian Athletic Conference action inside Douglas E. Karnes Arena.
The Rams opened the game with solid energy on both ends of the floor, as Danny Alford finished inside for Bluefield's first basket and Ke'Shaun Tonsall added a pair of free throws to keep the score tight early. Tyler Suber provided an offensive spark off the bench, knocking down a three-pointer midway through the first half, while Lenair Young followed with a corner triple to trim the deficit to 13.
Johnson began to create separation behind its transition offense and control of the glass. Despite a late dunk from DJ McDonald and a three from Pharoah Fields in the closing minute, the Royals closed the half on a strong run to take a 48–26 advantage into the break.
BU showed improved offensive rhythm in the second half, shooting 46 percent from the floor. Suber led the charge with a pair of three-pointers and aggressive drives to the basket, while DeAndre Miles finished a fastbreak layup and McDonald added points in the paint. The Rams continued to battle defensively, with Alford recording two blocks and Tonsall coming away with a steal that led to transition points.
Despite the effort, Johnson maintained control throughout the half, capitalizing on turnovers and second-chance opportunities to keep the margin comfortable. Bluefield continued to push late, as Suber and Zac Hall connected from beyond the arc and Cameryn Hutton scored inside in the closing minutes, but the Royals closed the game strong to secure the win.
Suber led the Rams with a team-high 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. Alford added eight points and four rebounds, while DeAndre Miles contributed six points and four rebounds off the bench. McDonald finished with five points, eight rebounds, and three steals, and Tonsall added six points with two steals.
BU returns to action Saturday when the Rams travel to Bryan for a 4:00 p.m. tipoff.
