FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  The game was tied at 70 with less than two minutes remaining before visiting University of Lynchburg converted four free throws down the stretch for the 78-76 victory over Methodist.

At home in the Riddle Center, Kaymon Mitchell led the Monarchs in the loss with a double-double (his first of the season) of 19 points and 11 rebounds in this non-conference game.

The Hornets were ranked 22nd in the country entering today's game and Methodist stood toe-to-toe with them. The contest featured ten lead changes, and five tied scores, although Lynchburg did lead for majority of the game. The Monarchs did manage to shoot a better percentage from the floor than did the Hornets and Methodist turned the ball over only 13 times compared to 16 turnovers for Lynchburg. The difference was rebounding as the Hornets converted 14 offensive rebounds into 18 second chance points versus only ten second chance points and eight offensive rebounds for the Monarchs.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Lynchburg def. Methodist, 78-76
Records: Methodist 4-6; Lynchburg 8-1
Location: Riddle Center; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Monarchs were leading 19-18 midway through the first half before Austin Wrighten and the Hornets went on a game-altering 16-3 run to turn a 19-18 deficit into a 34-22 lead. Wrighten was dominant in the fast break as he had 12 of his 29 points in that five-minute run.
• Kaymon Mitchell's layup to give Methodist a 70-69 lead was the first lead by the Monarchs since seven minutes remaining in the first half.
• Wrighten essentially iced the game when he corralled a miss Hornets' three-pointer with 21 seconds left. With Lynchburg leading 74-72, the offensive rebound forced Methodist to intentional foul. Chance Greene went four-of-four from the line in the waning seconds.
• Burden scored the six of his eight points in the final minute for the Monarchs and assisted on the fourth basket. With ten seconds left in the game, Burden drew the foul on a three-point shot. He made the first and third free throws to make it a four-point game. However, a third make would have given the Monarchs a nice chance for overtime with seven seconds remaining.
• Connor Schroeder's three made it a four-point game for a 69-65 score and Kevin McLaughlin answered with a three of his own to make it a one-point game again.
• Down 54-46 in the second half after a Greene three, the Monarchs went on a 8-0 run to tie up the game for the first time since the first half. Malik Edwards got the steal, the foul call, and made both his free throws to tie the game.
• Tied at 11, Kaymon Mitchell made three consecutive baskets to give the Monarchs their biggest lead of the game, a four-point, 17-13 lead.
• Down by 12 points right before half time, Kevin McLaughlin and Malik Edwards made back-to-back three pointers to cut the deficit to only nine at halftime.

STAT FACTS

• Mitchell's 19 marked a season-high for him. He was 8-of-13 from the field.
• Burden had a team-high five assists to go with eight points and eight rebounds.
• Garren Dearman had 16 points, two steals, and two rebounds as he has now scored double-digits in eight of the ten games this season.
• J'Quan Deal and McLaughlin each added ten points for the Monarchs.

HORNETS' EYE

• Wrighten earned his fourth consecutive double-double with 29 points (season-high) and 12 rebounds. He scored 19 in the first half and shot 10-of-19 for the game.
• Schroeder played Robin to Wrighten's Batman with 15 points and seven rebounds.
• Greene was the other Hornet to score double-digits with 13 points and four assists.
• Lynchburg's passing was on point as it tied a season-high for assists with 20 in this game.

UP NEXT

• Next Sunday, the Monarchs are on the road to Roanoke in a non-conference game at 3:30 p.m.
• Lynchburg returns home to play McDaniel next Sunday at 4 p.m.