BELMONT, N.C. –
Timon Jones and
Justin Nichelson led Lees-McRae men's basketball in the scoring column with 16 points as Belmont Abbey used a second-half comeback to down the Bobcats, 76-75.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Belmont Abbey – 76; Lees-McRae – 75
LOCATION: Wheeler Center – Belmont, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (3-7/0-4), Belmont Abbey (5-5/3-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Kyle Frazier scored the go-ahead basket at 75-73 with 22 seconds left in the second half as Belmont Abbey held on to win their third Conference Carolinas victory of the season after Jaylin Stewart's layup missed at the buzzer.
- Jeremy Golson gave the Bobcats the early 9-8 advantage after a three-pointer on the fastbreak off an assist by Sidney Dollar with 16:36 left in the first half.
- Belmont Abbey grew their lead to 18-12 after a three by Frazier, but Lees-McRae tied the score at 21 apiece on a three-pointer by Brandon Brown at the 9:37 mark of the first half. The Bobcats took the lead off a 7-0 run in a two-minute span at 37-30 and went into halftime with the 37-33 edge.
- Jones drained a three with 15:52 left in the second half as Lees-McRae continued to elevate its lead at 46-38. LJ Rogers answered with a three of his own with a little over nine minutes to push the margin back to eight points at 60-52.
- The Crusaders knotted the score at 69-69 after the first two free throws by Mario Lacy, Jr. and Belmont Abbey regained the lead at 70-69 after Lacy, Jr. converted all three free throws
- Williams Onyeodi retook the lead for the Bobcats on the ensuing possession after a made layup. Frazier then put Belmont Abbey ahead for good with the go-ahead basket at the 22-second mark.
- Jones had a season-high 16 points for the Bobcats and Nichelson joined him in double-figures with 16 points also on 5-8 shooting.
FOR THE CRUSADERS:
- Belmont Abbey had four players in double-figures on the day as Mason Taylor tallied a game-high 23 points on 8-14 from the field. Lacy, Jr. followed with 16 and Frazier registered 12 points in 22 minutes of action. Wade Jackson had 10 points for the Crusaders.
- The Crusaders held a significant inside the paint with 40 points scored and earned 23 points off 14 Bobcat turnovers in the 76-75 win.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae men's basketball heads to Tigerville, South Carolina for its second consecutive road contest as the Bobcats face North Greenville on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Lees-McRae and the Crusaders will play at 7 p.m. inside North Greenville's Hayes Gymnasium.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
