Men's Basketball | 2/18/2011 9:53:00 PM

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Methodist men's basketball team battled with Christopher Newport and cut the lead to six points in the final minutes, but the Captains pulled away for the 87-72 win.

CNU opened up with a 10-2 lead, but Methodist came back and tied the game at 10 with 13:57 remaining in the first half. The Captains built a nine point lead, but the Monarchs responded with a 10-2 run to cut the lead to one with just over three minutes to play. Mark Jernigan hit a jumper at the halftime buzzer, but Christopher Newport led 37-29 at the break.

Methodist came out firing in the second half, scoring their first seven points of the half. CNU took a seven point lead, but with 13:33 left to play, Jernigan scored his 1,000th career point to trim the lead to five points. The Captains extended their lead to 14 points, but the Monarchs kept battling and Bryan Hockaday's layup with 4:16 remaining cut the lead to six points. Christopher Newport finished strong from the free throw line to pull away for the 87-72 win.

Jernigan and Kyle Combs finished with 18 points apiece while Hockaday added 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Conley Taylor paced the Captains with 27 points.

The Monarchs will finish the regular season on Saturday at Shenandoah with a 6 p.m. tip-off.

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