MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. –
Drew Gardner posted his ninth career double-double with a game-high 27 points and 13 rebounds, while
Cale Harris and
Sidney Dollar also scored in double figures, but it was not enough as host Mount Olive forced 22 Bobcat turnovers and outscored the visitors 35-7 in points off turnovers en route to clinching the 112-86 win in the Conference Carolinas action.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Mount Olive – 112; Lees-McRae – 86
LOCATION: Kornegay Arena – Mount Olive, North Carolina
RECORDS: Mount Olive (16-9/14-7), Lees-McRae (13-12/11-11)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Gardner shot 9 of 13 from the floor and 3 of 6 from distance to pace the Bobcats in scoring.
- Harris was perfect from the floor (5 of 5) for 11 points to go along with five rebounds, while Dollar tallied 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
- Carter Phillips and Malik McConnell added nine and seven points respectively.
- Both teams traded baskets for the majority of the first half with Lees-McRae evening the score at 30-30 on a layup by Gardner with just under seven minutes left in the first half.
- Mount Olive closed the first half on a 26-7 run to take a 56-37 halftime lead.
- A three-point field goal by Garnder with 17 minutes left to play cut the lead down to 64-49, but it would be the closest the Bobcats came as the Trojans outscored Lees-McRae 56-49 in the second half en route to clinching the conference win.
- Lees-McRae shot 53 perecent from the floor and held a 48-28 advantage in points in the paint and a 27-12 edge in fastbreak points.
- Mount Olive outscored the Bobcats 51-21 in shot from behind the three-point line.
FOR THE FOES:
- Five Trojans scored in double figures, led by Jeremiah Phifer with a team-high 17 points.
UP NEXT:
The Bobcats will travel to Tigersville, South Carolina on Tuesday, Feb. 22 for a Conference Carolinas showdown with North Greenville at 7 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
