Phil Taylor sparked the Shorter Hawks (9-9, 4-8), helping the home team defeat the Christian Brothers Buccaneers (8-10, 6-6) 98-91 on Thursday. Taylor scored 25 of his game high 34 points in the second half. 13 of his 34 points came via the free-throw line where he took 16 attempts on the night.

The contest between the Hawks and Buccaneers was an exciting one, featuring 17 lead changes and five ties. No team led by more than ten points, yet Shorter had an advantage for over 25 minutes, compared to just under 13 for Christian Brothers.

12 of 15 lead changes came in the first half. Shorter controlled the game at the half by a nine-point margin, 50-41. Trevor McDade fueled the Hawks first half, making all seven of his field goals, including a layup at the buzzer, for 15 points. The Hawks shot a scorching 70% from the floor in the half, while the Buccaneers made 47.1% of their attempts.

In the second half, Taylor paced Shorter, making 5 of 6 shots from the floor. After Cole Birchfield tied at the game at 72, Taylor scored five straight points, including a three pointer, to give SU a 77-72 lead. Shorter's lead grew to 81-72 thanks to a pair of baskets by Taylor and McDade.

Trailing by nine, Christian Brothers would cut into Shorter's deficit thanks to the play of Adam Dieball. The freshman forward hit two threes but could not bring his squad any closer than three points. As time wound down, Shorter converted its free throws, defeating the Buccaneers 98-91.

In addition to Taylor, McDade scored 24 points for Shorter. The Hawks shot 66.7% from the field, while Christian Brothers shot 52.1%. Drew Hildreth led Christian Brothers with 23 points.

Shorter will be back in action on Saturday, January 23. Tipoff against Gulf South Conference opponent Union University is set for 4 PM EST from the Winthrop-King Centre.