Men's Basketball | 1/21/2012 6:53:00 PM

Box Score ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The game was tied on five different occasions early in the first half before N.C. Wesleyan College pulled away late in the first half and finished with the 88-64 win over Methodist University on Saturday.

Both teams went back and forth early before Methodist's Mark Jernigan tied the game at 17 with 8:20 remaining in the first half. The Bishops responded with a 16-4 run to lead 33-21 in the final three minutes. James Whitehead stopped the run with a jumper, but N.C. Wesleyan came back with a 3-pointer on the other end to take their largest lead of the game at 36-23. Methodist's Tyler Farias and Jernigan scored back-to-back basics to cut the lead to nine, but the Bishops closed the half with a basket at the buzzer to lead 38-27.

A layup from Bryan Hockaday early in the second half moved the Monarchs within seven points, but the Bishops came back with a 15-2 run to lead 55-35 with 14:10 remaining. Methodist cut the lead to 14 with eight minutes left to play, but N.C. Wesleyan finished with the 88-64 victory.

Terrell Stallings led the Monarchs with 17 points and nine rebounds after shooting 12-for-14 from the free throw line. James Whitehead and Jernigan added 12 points apiece while Hockaday scored eight points with nine rebounds.

The Bishops finished with four players in double figures paced by Matt Dougherty with 15 points.

Methodist will be back in action on Tuesday when they host Greensboro College at 7 p.m.

Box Score