BANNER ELK, N.C. –
Jaylin Stewart led four Bobcats in double-digit scoring as Lees-McRae men's basketball earned the 90-78 victory over Mount Olive on Saturday evening. Stewart had a season-high 20 points on 8-10 shooting.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Lees-McRae – 90; Mount Olive – 78
LOCATION: McNair & Debi Tornow Court – Banner Elk, North Carolina
RECORDS: Lees-McRae (15-8/8-5), Mount Olive (6-17/5-8)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Ja'Quavian Florence got the Bobcats on the board with a layup at the 19:05 mark of the first half. The two sides traded baskets and the lead multiple times throughout the first half as Mount Olive held the slim 47-46 margin at the halftime break.
- Lees-McRae came out firing in the second half with Nico Ashley sending home a dunk with 18:54 left in regulation. The Bobcats built their lead to double digits after another a dunk from Ashley at 63-53.
- Mount Olive chipped away at the lead and only trailed by three with 5:16 remaining in the second half, but the Bobcats regained the momentum after the Trojans were assessed their second technical foul of the game. Jeremy Golson knocked down both free throws after the technical foul.
- Stewart hit a jumper with 3:18 left in the second half and converted the three-point play for the Bobcats' 10-point lead at 78-68. Rodney Smith capped the victory with a fastbreak layup at 90-76 and Lees-McRae took the Conference Carolinas victory at 90-78 on the McNair & Debi Tornow Court.
- Lees-McRae went 32-61 (52.5%) from the field and an impressive 21-25 from the free throw line. The Bobcats scored 22 points off of 16 Mount Olive turnovers and 14 points came on the fastbreak.
- Stewart poured in 20 points on 8-10 shooting and added two assists and one rebound. Smith had 12 points on 3-6 from the field and 6-6 from the charity stripe.
- Ashley recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Sidney Dollar delivered 10 points, five rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and one assist.
FOR THE TROJANS:
- Shane Peterson matched Stewart with a game-high 20 points on 7-13 from the field and 4-9 from three-point range. Kahlif Barnes and Josiah Watkins each had 13 points for the Trojans.
UP NEXT:
Lees-McRae men's basketball heads to Belmont Abbey for a Conference Carolinas Northwest Division clash with the Crusaders on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
For more information on Lees-McRae Athletics, follow the Bobcats on X (@LMCBobcats), on Facebook (Lees-McRae Athletics), and on Instagram (leesmcraeathletics).
