ANDERSON, S.C. – After a pair of conference victories last week, the Newberry College men's basketball team lost a low-scoring battle with South Atlantic Conference foe Anderson on Wednesday night, 72-59.

Newberry (5-12, 4-8) was led in scoring by Drake Downs' 19 that he paired with eight rebounds.

Malik Joseph added 12 points for the Wolves in addition to a team-high nine rebounds.

Devario Sheppard was the third Wolf in double figures, chipping in 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting with three made free throws.

The game was something of a defensive slog in the early portion with the score tied at 5 after 5 minutes and 16 seconds of play in the opening half.

By the second media timeout with just over 11 minutes to play, Anderson (10-9, 5-6) owned a narrow 12-11 advantage.

Caleb Byrd, Sheppard and Downs each scored baskets out of the timeout as part of a 6-1 Newberry run to make it 17-13 Wolves with 8:46 left in the half. The Trojans called timeout a minute-and-a-half later when Bobby Taylor found Booker Cusaac for a fastbreak slam to put the Wolves up 19-15.

A 7-2 Anderson run allowed them to regain a 22-21 lead with 5:28 to go but Sheppard answered on the other end with a layup to restore a slim Wolves lead. The Trojans scored the next five points to open a 27-23 margin – a lead they would never again relinquish – and went into halftime up 32-28.

The Scarlet and Gray were able to bring the game within a point early in the second half thanks to eight straight points from Joseph, and a pair of free throws from Sheppard made it 39-38 with 15:10 remaining in the game.

Anderson scored 12 of the next 16 points over 2 minutes and 40 seconds to get some breathing room at 51-42. The closest Newberry got the rest of the way was within six, 54-48, after AJ Thompson sank his lone shot of the game from long range.

The Wolves outrebounded the Trojans 44-36, including 13 on the offensive glass that led to 16 second-chance points. Newberry's bench contributed mightily, scoring 33 points compared to 14 from the home team.

Newberry stays on the road this weekend for its second date with Tusculum on Saturday (Feb. 3). The Wolves won the first one 79-60 in Eleazer Arena back on Dec. 16. Tipoff in Greeneville, Tenn., is scheduled for 4 p.m.