BANNER ELK, NC--The Lees-McRae Bobcats snapped a five game
losing streak Wednesday evening, defeating Limestone College 73-57
in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action at Williams
Gymnasium. The Bobcats improve to 5-20 (4-14 Conference Carolinas)
while the Saints fall to 7-16 (4-13).
After exchanging three pointers to open the scoring, the
visitors would take their second and last lead of the game 5-3 with
a pair of free throws made by Andrae Franklin. The Bobcats would
respond a 12-5 run to grab their first lead of the game and never
look back. The Bobcats would increase their lead to as much as 13
and take a twelve point advantage into halftime, 36-24.
The second half saw the Saints come marching back, closing the
twelve point deficit to one, 40-39, with an even thirteen minutes
left on the clock. Once again the Bobcats would regain the
momentum with a 6-0 run to increase their lead to a more
comfortable seven points. With 7:14 to play, the Bobcats pushed
their seven point lead back to twelve with firm control of the
Bobcats' Senior Night contest. The Bobcats continued to push until
the final buzzer increasing their lead to as much as 17 before
settling on the 16 point final, 73-57.
"We played a great first half tonight and gained a very nice
lead heading into halftime," commented Head Coach Scott Polsgrove.
"With them battling back to within one, I was very proud of the way
our team responded to regain control, especially on the defensive
side of the ball; we made some great plays down there. It was a
great game and a great way for Blake and Mario to end their college
careers at home."
Bobcats Seniors Blake Carr (Seymour, TN) and Mario McClunie
(Knoxville, TN) were honored before the contest and contributed
four and nine points respectively in their final game at Williams
Gymnasium. The duo are finishing their fourth season as teammates,
two of which have been at Lees-McRae. Both Carr and McClunie
played together at Hiawassee Community College for two years prior
to enrolling at Lees-McRae.
Raysean Hairston (Elizabethtown, NC) led all scorers with a game
high 21 points while Aaron Woodacre (Piney Flats, TN) chipped in
with 16.
Shawn Creal and Marques Williams led the Saints in scoring with
15 and 11 points respectively.
The Bobcats will hit the road for a pair of Conference Carolinas
contests to end their season. Traveling to Wilson, NC to compete
against Barton this Saturday at 7:30pm, the Bobcats will then head
to Erskine for a 7:30pm tipoff the following Friday.
PICTURED TOP: Raysean Hairston
PICTURED BELOW LEFT: Blake Carr
PICTURED BELOW RIGHT: Mario McClunie
