Saturday, February 21, 2004

BEARS ROLL PAST BLUE HOSE 77-62 IN SAC MEN’S HOOPS ACTION
L-R’s Davis and Connelly combine for 41 points in victory

CLINTON, S.C. — Lenoir-Rhyne College snapped a four-game losing skid with today’s 77-62 victory over the host Blue Hose of Presbyterian College in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Ross E. Templeton Center.

The Bears improve to 17-7 overall and 8-4 in the SAC and hold on to sole possession of second place in the SAC regular season with two games remaining. The Blue Hose fall to 15-10 overall and 6-6 in league play.

Lenoir-Rhyne broke open a closely contested first half on a 13-4 run to go ahead 29-19 at the 1:10 mark on a dunk by junior forward Roman Davis (Greensboro, N.C.). PC struggled from the field in the first half with their last field goal coming at the 6:17 mark by sophomore center Johann Collins (Raleigh, N.C.) and trailed 29-21 at intermission. Both teams struggled from the field in the first frame as the Bears shot 36.0% while the Blue Hose shot 29.2%.

In the second half, the Bears pushed the lead out to 18 points at 42-24 on a three-pointer by senior guard Randy Mauldin (Albemarle, N.C.) at the 15:44 mark. PC responded with a 15-7 run over the next five minutes to trim the lead to 10 points at 49-49 on a jumper by senior guard Andrew Dellinger (Mauertown, Va.) with 10:48 remaining.

L-R was able to hold off the Blue Hose charge and keep the lead in double figures down the stretch and used a 22-13 run over the next eight minutes to push the lead to it’s largest margin of 20 points at 77-57 on a layup by senior center Ryan Pitts (Baltimore, MD) with 1:05 left in the game. A jumper by freshman guard Melvin Smith (Roanoke, Va.) and a three-pointer by redshirt junior forward Rich Adams (Columbia, S.C.) finished the scoring for the Blue Hose as the Bears went on to win 77-62.

The Bears were led by Davis who tallied a game-high 22 points and added four boards while junior guard Tony Connelly (Charlotte, N.C.) added 19 points. Rounding out the double figure scorers for Lenoir-Rhyne was Pitts who tallied 11 points and nine rebounds. Senior guard Rashad Price (Charlotte, N.C.) added a game-high 12 assists and only one turnover in 33 minutes of action.

The Blue Hose were led by 17 points from Collins while freshman forward Grant Herren (Oviedo, Fla.) added 13 points and six boards. Rounding out the double figure scorers for PC was sophomore forward Michael Drum (Rural Hall, N.C.) who added 11 points and five boards coming off the bench.

PC returns to action next Wednesday, February 25 as they host Catawba College at 8;00 pm while Lenoir-Rhyne travels to Wingate, N.C. to take on Wingate University also at 8:00 pm.