Wednesday, January 21, 2003

PRESBYTERIAN’S HOT SHOOTING LEADS TO 76-57 WIN
OVER MARS HILL IN SAC MEN’S BASKETBALL ACTION

CLINTON, S.C. — Presbyterian College shot a season-best 59.6% from the field including seven-of-12 from beyond the arc en route to a 76-57 win over Mars Hill College in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Wednesday night at the Ross E. Templeton Center.

The Blue Hose used a balanced attack as 10 players scored in the game including five players tallying eight or more points on the night. PC dished out 23 assists on 31 made field goals on the night and used their patented defense to hold Mars Hill to 33.3% shooting from the field on the night.

PC jumped out to a 19-8 first half lead thanks in part to seven points from freshman forward Grant Herren (Oviedo, Fla.). The Blue Hose would hold the lead and push it to it’s biggest margin of 15 points on two occasions including the last at 41-26 at  the half. PC was red-hot from the field in the first half, shooting 61.5% from the field while the Lions struggled to shoot 34.4%.

The Blue Hose used a 15-2 run to open the second half and push the lead to 55-28 with 15:23 remaining. Mars Hill would not be able to muster a comeback until late when they cut the lead under 20 points at 74-57 with 1:34 remaining on a layup by senior guard Travis Wilson (Greenville, S.C.). PC’s freshman center Brian Epperly’s (Roanoke, Va.) layup with 1:15 remaining put the final touches on the Blue Hose victory.

PC was led by sophomore center Johann Collins (Raleigh, N.C.) who tallied 14 points and four rebounds while redshirt junior forward Rich Adams (Columbia, S.C.) came off the bench to score 10 points and add five rebounds. Herren finished with nine points and six rebounds while freshman guard Melvin Smith (Roanoke, Va.) also added nine points to go along with four assists.

Mars Hill was led by senior guard Ronald Lewis’ (New Orleans, La.) team-high 14 points while junior guard Kirby Lee (Fort Mill, S.C.) added 11 points off the bench. Sophomore wing Walt Baxley (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and freshman post Chris Conn (Morehead, Ky) added 10 points apiece.

Presbyterian College improves to 11-6 overall and 2-2 in SAC play while Mars Hill College falls to 9-8 overall and 2-2 in league play.