Men's Basketball | 2/11/2012 5:58:00 PM

Box Score FERRUM, Va. - The Methodist men's basketball team earned a sweep over Ferrum College Saturday with their second win of the season over the Panthers, this time 79-72.

There were 10 lead changes through the first 15 minutes of play before Methodist (8-16, 5-6) took over down the stretch. The score was tied at 19 with 4:57 remaining in the first half when the Monarchs exploded with a 12-0 run. Ferrum (13-10, 6-5) stopped their drought with a basket with 1:10 on the clock, but Methodist maintained the 33-22 advantage at the break.

The Monarchs extended their lead to 15 points on two different occasions in the second half, the first on a steal and quick layup by James Whitehead with 9:04 left in the game. Ferrum responded with a basket at the other end, but Terrell Stallings sank two free throws to give the Monarchs the 56-41 lead with 8:23 remaining. The Panthers chipped away at the lead thanks in part to three 3-pointers to cut the lead to six in the final minute. Ferrum was as close as five points off the lead, but Methodist was stellar at the free throw line finishing 11-for-12 in the last minute to prevail 79-72.

Whitehead led the Monarchs with 26 points while Bryan Hockaday had 20 points. Stallings finished with 12 points and Mark Jernigan added 10. Kyle Combs scored seven points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds.

Darryl Hart paced the Panthers with 22 points to go along with Marcus Mayo's 19 points.

Methodist will wrap up the regular season on Wednesday night when they host N.C. Wesleyan College at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score