GREENSBORO, N.C.  It was a runaway. It was a tied. And finally, it was a runaway.

Methodist built a 17-point halftime cushion that evaporated during the opening 10 minutes of the second half, but broke free from just the second tie score of the game to finish Wednesday's 98-85 USA South Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over the host Pride from Greensboro College.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Methodist def. Greensboro, 98-85
Records: Methodist 9-9 (7-3 USA South), Greensboro 2-16 (1-9)
Location: Hanes Gymnasium; Greensboro, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Monarchs had everything going their way during first-half action, rolling out to a 54-37 advantage entering recess behind 68 percent shooting from the floor -- including 6-of-7 from beyond the 3-point arc.
• They owned an 18-14 edge in rebounding, outscored the Pride 28-20 in the paint and 13-10 in points off turnovers.
• Dante Burden led Methodist with 10 points in just 12 minutes of court time, while Garren Dearman tied for first-half honors in rebounding with five.
• Greensboro, however, was the team that came out of the halftime break on fire, slashing it's 17-point deficit to just three points, 59-56, in less than five minutes.
• A Kaymon Mitchell layup halted the Pride's rally, and a defensive rebound at the other end by Burden turned into a 3-pointer from Chris Pernell, providing breathing room for the Monarchs.
• The lungs would tighten up a bit over the next four minutes, though, as a 12-4 Greensboro run knotted the game for just the second time, at 68-68, with nearly half of the second half yet to play.
• The wake-up call of that deadlock jump-started the Monarchs, who nearly doubled up the Pride over those final nine minutes (30-17).
• Mitchell scored nine of his game-high 20 points during that stretch, equaled by Pernell's nine points -- on a trio of treys, including back-to-back bombs sandwiched around the four-minute mark.
• Dearman added eight points in the finishing kick, while Burden collected the other four points.

STAT FACTS

• Along with his high-scoring night, Mitchell also led Methodist on the glass with seven rebounds, edging out Dearman (6) for team honors.
• Pernell was wicked from long range on the night, dropping in five of eight from 3-point land to finish with a 15-point evening.
• Burden, with 14 points, and Malik Manley, with 11, also cracked double-figures for the Monarchs.
• Burden was seeing the field all evening, doling out a game-best seven assists, against just one turnover. He also came away with a game-high three steals in the victory.
• The 98 points in a victory are the most since a 112-92 home win on January 21, 2018, against visiting LaGrange College.

PRIDE POINTS

• Greensboro pushed a quartet of players into double figures on the night, led by Eric Peaks Jr.'s 18. Greyson Collins added 17, nine of which came from a 3-for-6 night behind the arc.
• Keyshawn Dorsey recorded a double-double in the loss, scoring 12 and leading all players with 10 rebounds.
• The Pride eventually won the rebounding battle, 36-34, which helped them notch 20 second-chance points.

UP NEXT

• Averett University comes to the Riddle Center on Saturday to take on the home-standing Monarchs in a 2 p.m. conference bout.
• Averett is also the next opponent for Greensboro, which hosts the Cougars on Wednesday, Jan 30.