GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Denaj Kimber banked in an eight-foot, off-balanced jumper with 1.3 seconds remaining for the game-winner as Tusculum University rallied to a 70-68 victory over Coker University Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Arena in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action.

The Pioneers (3-3, 1-1 SAC), who trailed by as many as seven in the second half, were never ahead in the second half until Kimber's game-winner to break a 68-68 tie.

Now trailing for the first time since being down 26-25 with 6:21 left in the first half, the Cobras got off a desperation heave from just across mid-court, but the shot came after time expired.

Tusculum's Bryce Jackson poured in 18 points and grabbed five rebounds, Amari Allen added 11 points and six boards, while Wesley Johnson contributed 10 in the victory. Kimber finished with nine points going 4-of-6 from the floor, while Damjan Vukcevic finished with eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Coker's Isayah Owens led all scorers with 25 points to go along with game-high five assists. Aaron Hall added 15 points and six rebounds, while Predrag Panisic tallied 11 markers and a game-high eight boards for the Cobras (1-3, 0-1 SAC).

Coker led for nearly 31 minutes of the game and held its largest advantage at 56-49 with 7:43 remaining in the contest.

In the first half, the lead exchanged hands five times with either team leading by more than six points in the opening period. With TU ahead 26-22 following a pair of free throws from Vukcevic, the Cobras went on an 8-0 run including a floating jumper by Owens to take a 30-26 lead with 2:20 left in the half.

Jackson converted a jumper from outside the paint with 57 seconds on the clock to cut the deficit to two, but Coker's Zundra Jackson hit a driving layup to extend the Cobra led to four (32-28) with 37 seconds to go.

TU freshman Jordan Attia connected on a jumper just before halftime as Coker led 32-30 heading to the locker room.

In the second half, Coker extended the lead to six (38-32 following a Panisic triple 85 seconds into the period. TU answered with a 7-2 run including a three-pointer from Bryce Jackson in the corner as the Pioneers trailed 40-39 with 16:41 on the scoreboard.

But the Cobras answered with six in a row including put-back dunk by Hall as Coker led 46-39 with 14:35 remaining and forcing a TU timeout.

Both teams went scoreless for the next three minutes until Bryce Jackson ended the drought with his jumper with 11:32 to go. It sparked a 7-0 run which was capped off by a pair of Allen free throws as TU tied the game at 46-46 with 10:21 on the board.

Coker answered with back-to-back buckets from Owens and take a 50-46 advantage with 9:33 on the clock. The Cobras would extend the lead back out to seven (56-49) with 7:43 left in the game.

Coker had a chance to push out to a nine-point lead but a missed layup was followed by an Allen three-pointer as TU trailed 56-62. Owens answered with a bucket before TU got a Kimber layup and Allen connected on a jumper as the Pioneers trailed 58-56 with 5:56 to go.

The teams exchanged baskets down the stretch Including Hall's jumper in the paint with 2:25 remaining as Coker led 66-62.

On TU's next trip down the floor, Jackson missed a layup, but Johnson came down with the rebound and put-back as the Pioneers trailed 66-64.

Coker would commit only its fifth turnover of the game. Down by two with 1:46 left, Jackson made a reverse layup to tie the game at 66-66.

The Cobras went to Owens again and he did not disappoint as he buried a contested 12-foot jumper with 1:03 remaining to retake the lead at 68-66.

Kimber responded as he made a driving layup to tie the game at 68-68 with 49 seconds remaining.

After a Coker timeout, the Cobras went back to Owens, but this time, his shot was off the mark and was rebounded by Bryce Jackson.

Tusculum went for the last shot and Kimber drove down the left side of the lane and his off-balanced shot banked off the glass with 1.3 seconds left for the game-winner.

TU finished the game shooting 48.2 percent from the floor including 16-of-27 in the second half (59.3%). Tusculum also went 9-of-11 from the free throw line (82%) led by Allen went shot 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.

Coker ended the contest going 29-of-63 from the field (46%) including 8-of-25 from three-point territory (32%).  The Cobras held a 34-32 edge in rebounding and posted 16 assists on its 29 made field goals.

Both teams took care of the basketball as TU had six turnovers, while Coker finished with five miscues. The Cobras had a 36-30 advantage in scoring in the paint, while TU's bench outscored Coker by a 30-6 margin.

The Pioneers will host its annual Jack Kilday Education Game this Tuesday when they host Crown College of Knoxville for an 11 a.m. contest. Tusculum invites area elementary and middle school children to be its guests for a morning of fun and basketball.