BUENA VISTA, Va. Methodist men's basketball falls in their first ever meeting with Southern Virginia University after the Knights defeat the Monarchs, in a USA South Athletic Conference match-up, 78-65 on Friday night in Knight Arena.

Senior Dante Burden makes program history once again by becoming the first men's basketball player to reach 200+ steals in a career. He also cracked the top 10 in career blocks with a total of 64, after recording two blocks this evening.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Southern Virginia def. Methodist, 78-65
Records: Methodist 1-13 (0-4 USA South), Southern Virginia 9-8 (3-3)
Location: Knight Arena; Buena Vista, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first seven Methodist points were scored by Kevin McLaughlin Jr., as he help keep the Monarchs within Southern Virginias' 12-7 lead. Around the nine minute mark of the first half, Isaiah Marchant of the Knights drilled back-to-back threes to bring the score to its first double figure difference, 24-12.
• Methodist than found themselves in a scoring drought for the next four and half minutes, where Southern Virginia took advantage and scored 11 unanswered points, before Brone Brinson got a layup to drop. A three-pointer by Burden were the final Monarch points of the half as they head into the locker room down 39-20.
• The second half saw Methodist get five quick points followed by six straight points for the Knights. The next eight minutes witnessed Southern Virginia match the Monarchs shot for shot, as the Knights refused to let Methodist to get back in the game.
• It looked like the Monarchs would finally start cutting into the 58-39 deficit after Burden made two free throws and a steal by McLaughlin Jr. led to a made three ball from Daekwon King. Late in the frame, lay-ups by Tomas Stevens and Burden, including converting an and-one, got them back to a single digit difference, 72-63. This was the best Methodist got to the score before the clock hit zero.

MORE TO IT

• With his game-high 33 point effort, Burden has now scored 30+ in back-to-back contests. Connor Marchant of the Knights had a team-high 27 points.
• Burden matched his career-high in steals with tonight's game after pick pocketing Southern Virginia eight times.
• The Monarchs finished the game with a shooting percentage of 38.2%, which only got up that high after going 15 of 31 (48.4%) in the second half. The first half saw Methodist only make 25% (7 of 28) of their shots.

UP NEXT

• Methodist plays again tomorrow as they stay on the road and make a trip to Mary Baldwin University for a USA South game at 2 p.m.
• Southern Virginia plays their third of five straight home games with another one against North Carolina Wesleyan College tomorrow at 2 p.m.