Men's Basketball | 12/2/2013 10:21:00 PM

Box Score NORFOLK, Va. -- The Methodist men's basketball team fell, 87-71, at No. 13 Virginia Wesleyan on Monday evening at the Batten Center.
 
D.J. Woodmore scored 26 points and the Marlins, ranked 13th by D3hoops.com, hit 11-of-26 three-pointers (.423), including three straight by Woodmore during a decisive second-half surge in improving to 6-0 on the season. The Monarchs fell to 2-5 on the year.
 
Methodist, which trailed by eight points at the half (42-34) pulled to within five points (45-40) 2:15 into the second half on a Tabias Hilliard before the Marlins seized control of the contest with a 14-4 run. Woodmore ignited the spurt with three consecutive three-pointers and would add a layup before Cameron Owens capped the run with another triple to put VWC on top, 59-45, with 14:07 on the clock. The Monarchs were unable to pull within single digits the remainder of the way.
 
Virginia Wesleyan shot 57.7 percent (15-26) from the field in the second half, including 53.9 percent (7-13) from beyond the arc.
 
In the first half, MU took its largest lead of the game (11-6) following a pair of free throws from Keemon Ingram at the 14:26 mark before VWC countered with a 20-3 run to take a 26-14 lead on Trent Baston's jump shot at the 7:54 mark. The Monarchs battled back to within four points (32-28) thanks to a pair of makes at the charity stripe by Austin Pack, but the Marlins held firm again and extended their lead back to eight points at the break.
 
For the game, VWC shot 48.4 percent (31-64) from the field, while MU shot a comparable 44.4 percent (28-63). However, the Monarchs were just 3-of-15 from beyond the arc (.200) and turned the ball over 19 times to just 11 for Virginia Wesleyan.
 
Desmond Parker led four Monarchs in double figures with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting. Bryan Hockaday added 13 points and Keith Corbett and Austin Pack added 12 and 11, respectively. Hockaday pulled down a team-best eight rebounds, and Parker and Corbett grabbed six boards apiece.
 
Woodmore finished 10-of-18 from the floor (4-9 3FGA) and added five boards and three assists. Colby Heard chipped in 12 points, Baston had 11, and Owens and Khory Moore each scored 10. Baston added with rebounds and a pair of blocked shots, while Sedric Nady finished with nine points and seven assists.
 
The Monarchs are back in action on Dec. 14 when they play at Guilford beginning at 7:00 pm.