Men's Basketball | 1/30/2014 10:16:00 PM

Box Score ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Tamell Bradham's three-point play with just over three seconds to play proved to be the difference as the N.C. Wesleyan men's basketball team upended Methodist, 70-69, on Thursday evening at Everett Gym.
 
With the Monarchs leading 69-67 with eight seconds to play, MU's Bryan Hockaday missed the front end of a one-and-one, and the Battling Bishops (8-9, 3-3 USA South) secured the rebound. David Gurganus found Bradham streaking to the basket behind the Monarch (7-11, 5-3 USA South) defense and he converted a layup while absorbing contact from Hockaday. After Bradham converted the free throw for a one-point lead, Chris Vinson missed a potential game-winning three as time expired.
 
Methodist had rallied from an eight-point deficit (63-55) with 5:46 to play, outscoring NCWC, 14-4, to take the aforementioned 69-67 lead on a Tabias Hilliard jumper with 46 seconds on the clock. Desmond Parker started the run with a three-point play of his own, and Keith Corbett followed with a layup at the 5:05 mark to make it a 63-60 contest in favor of the home team.
 
MU's deficit was five points (67-62) with 3:50 to play following a Shannon Huff layup, but seven straight points, including a pair of layups by Hockaday and Hilliard's jumper, gave MU its first lead since the 8:28 mark of the second half (53-52) and set up the game's final moments.
 
After trailing by four (33-29) at intermission, Methodist assumed a 47-41 lead by the 13:15 mark of the second half on a Vinson layup. He scored six points over that span, and MU hit on 6-of-9 shots from the floor and 6-of-6 attempts from the free-throw line in taking its largest lead of the evening. The Battling Bishops answered by connecting on 6-of-8 shots from the field and 6-of-8 free-throw attempts in rattling off a 22-8 run to assume an eight-point advantage (63-55).
 
For the game, Methodist shot 47.5 percent from the field (29-61), including 55.6 percent after halftime (15-27).  N.C. Wesleyan shot just 42.6 percent from the field (26-61), but connected on 5-of-16 three-point attempts (.312), while MU made good on just 2-of-4 shots from beyond the arc. The Battling Bishops also held a 38-35 edge in rebounding and received 24 points from its bench compared to just two for Methodist.
 
Corbett led the Monarchs with 16 points, and Hockaday and Hilliard each chipped in 14. Parker tallied his first career double-double with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, and Vinson added a career-best 10 points. Hockaday totaled eight rebounds, just the third time this season he has failed to reach double-digits, and Hilliard handed out seven assists without a turnover.
 
Josh Morrison led NCWC with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Devontae Williams totaled 16 points and seven boards, and Brandon Brown had six points and seven rebounds off the bench.
 
Methodist will now travel to Averett on Saturday for a 4:00 pm matchup.