DUE WEST, S.C. –
Ja'Quavian Florence registered his fifth game in a row in double figures with 21 points as Lees-McRae men's basketball earned the 78-67 Conference Carolinas victory at Erskine on Thursday. The Bobcats have now rattled off seventh consecutive victories on the season.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 78; Erskine – 67
LOCATION: Belk Arena – Due West, South Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (7-1/2-0); Erskine (1-5/0-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Florence had a season-high 21 points on 8-14 shooting and added seven rebounds in the contest. Jeremy Golson and Jaylin Stewart joined him in double-digit scoring with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Sidney Dollar narrowly missed a double-double with eight points, 10 rebounds, five steals, and one assist.
- The Bobcats shot 41.5% (27-65) from the floor with seven made three-pointers and went 17-27 from the free-throw line.
- Lees-McRae held the advantage in points in the paint (38-26), second chance points (23-5), points off turnovers (25-13), fastbreak points (10-2), and bench points (31-20).
- Golson got the Bobcats on the board with a three at the 19:16 mark and Golson followed with another three with 17:53 left in the first half at 6-2 in favor of Lees-McRae. The two sides played even throughout the first half, but the Bobcats held the one-point lead heading into the halftime break at 33-32.
- Nico Ashley gave Lees-McRae the two-point edge at 42-40 off a fastbreak dunk via an assist and steal from Timon Jones. Lees-McRae then went on a 7-0 in a little under two minutes of play at 61-50.
- Erskine answered the Bobcat run with a 9-0 of their own at 61-59 before Dollar stopped the run with a basket at the 5:06 mark of the second half. Erskine's Max Peeler cut the deficit back to one with a three, but the Bobcats held off the Flying Fleet for their seventh consecutive victory of the season at 78-67.
FOR THE FLYING FLEET:
- Christian Monroe led four Erskine players in double-figures with 17 points on 5-11 from the field and a perfect 7-7 from the free-throw line. Max Peeler (12 points), Jaylen Prioleau (11 points), and Corey Gaines (10 points) joined Monroe with double-digit points.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae men's basketball plays Johnson C. Smith on Saturday, Dec. 9 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The contest with the Golden Bulls is slated for a 2 p.m. tip-off.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on Twitter (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
