Box score
BANNER ELK, N.C. ---
John Holleman (Petersburg, Va.) recorded a double-double with 20
points and a game-high 10 rebounds to lead the Carson-Newman
College men's basketball team to a 79-76 come-from-behind victory
over Lees-McRae College in non-conference action on Saturday
afternoon in Williams Gymnasium.
Carson-Newman (3-6) shot 45.6 percent from the floor on the
afternoon, including a blistering 57.7 percent clip in the second
half, while Lees-McRae (3-5) posted a 43.3 percent mark from the
field, including an even 50 percent in the final 20 minutes. The
Eagles edged the Bobcats on the glass by a 39-36 margin, including
a 31-23 advantage on the defensive boards.
Leading the way for the Bobcats was senior Adam McFerran (Stow,
Ohio), who poured in a game-high 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting,
while nearly missing a double-double with a squad-best nine
rebounds. Daniel Sepokas (Illawong, Australia) and Tevin Friday
(Gastonia, N.C.) joined McFerran in double figures with 15 and 10
points, respectively, as Sepokas chipped in a game-high four
steals. Dairl Scott, Jr. (Pfafftown, N.C.) added eight points and
five rebounds, while Reshon Benjamin (Valdosta, Ga.) also dished
out a team-high five assists for the Bobcats.
Holleman paced the Eagles with 20 points on 6-of-9 shooting,
while pulling down 10 boards and converting each of his eight free
throw attempts. Antonio Sullivan (Louisville, Ky.) joined Holleman
in double figures with 16 points, while Ishmael Sanders (Cleveland,
Tenn.) and Collin Crane (Knoxville, Tenn.) chipped in 11 and 10
markers, respectively. Sanders also dished out a game-high eight
assists, while Kevin Hare (Lexington, S.C.) posted a contest-best
two blocks.
Lees-McRae started strong, scoring the game's first 10 points
before Carson-Newman responded, launching a 10-5 run to cut the
lead to 15-10 on a Crane layup with 10:27 to play in the half. The
Bobcats answered with a spurt of their own, opening their largest
lead of the game at 30-14 with a McFerran triple at the 6:52 mark,
on the heels of a 15-4 run. Carson-Newman would charge back,
closing the half with a 17-6 run surge to cut the margin to 36-31
at the intermission.
The Eagles would carry the momentum into the second half,
slowing chipping away at the lead until they charged forward with a
12-4 spurt midway through the period, taking their first lead of
the game at 52-51 on a Sullivan triple with 11:28 to play. After
Carson-Newman pushed the lead to 56-51 with a pair of quick
baskets, the Bobcats answered, launching a 6-0 spurt to reclaim the
advantage at 57-56 on McFerran's jumper with 9:21 left on the
clock.
Carson-Newman would answer with a 7-0 spurt of its own, opening
its largest lead of the game at 63-57 with 6:57 to play on a
Holleman jumper. Lees-McRae refused to give in, battling back to
take a 66-65 lead on a Scott layup at the 5:09 mark.
The Eagles answered with a 9-2 run to reclaim the advantage and
push the lead to 74-68 with less than two minutes to play, capping
the spurt with a Holleman layup at the 1:44 mark. Lees-McRae would
exercise exceptional clock management over the next minute and a
half, cutting the lead to 77-76 on a clutch three-pointer by Sam
Youse (Winston-Salem, N.C.) with 13 seconds to play.
Sullivan would connect on both free throws after the resulting
Bobcat foul, pushing the lead to 79-76 and forcing LMC into another
three-point situation. After the Eagles forced an ill-timed Bobcat
miscue, Lees-McRae returned the favor, as Sepokas picked off the
inbound attempt at midcourt with three seconds left. Carson-Newman
would hold on for the narrow victory, as the Bobcats' tying attempt
fell short as time expired.
- LMC -
