STAUNTON, Va. In the first ever meeting between Methodist and Mary Baldwin University, the Fighting Squirrels got the better of the Monarchs 81-63 in a USA South Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon, in the PAC.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Mary Baldwin def. Methodist, 81-63
Records: Methodist 1-14 (0-5 USA South), Mary Baldwin 6-8 (5-2)
Location: PAC; Staunton, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Following Mary Baldwin jumping out to an 11-point lead, Tomas Stevens of Methodist sparked an 8-0 run for the Monarchs to make it a one procession game, 11-8. After a made jumper by Derrick Newberry, the Fighting Squirrels scored the next 12 straight points to get back to the double figure advantage they had earlier in the contest, 28-14
• Methodist went four and half minutes without a basket until Brone Brinson ended that with a jumper with six minutes and 55 seconds until the break. A bucket by Jaden Ignacio gave Mary Baldwin a 17-point lead, which was their largest lead of the first half, over the Monarchs until Stevens made a layup right before the buzzer to make it 40-25 at the midway point. 
• Early on in the second half, the Fighting Squirrels were on an 11-2 run to stretch their advantage to 51-27. Methodist cut into the deficit a little with two made baskets by Kevin McLaughlin Jr. and a fast break lay in from Stevens.
• With Mary Baldwin up by 20+ and on;y five minutes left on the clock, the Monarchs would empty the bench. In that time frame, Jeremy Mull got in the books by scoring five consecutive points on two jumpers and a free throw. Scoring the final four points for Methodist was Andre Cotton-Samuel, which were his first points in a Monarch uniform.

MORE TO IT

• The Fighting Squirrels found their stroke behind the three-point arc more than Methodist. Mary Baldwin had 25 attempts from downtown and splashed nine of them for a percentage of 36, while the Monarchs only made one out of 16 (6.3%)
• Five Fighting Squirrels reached double digits in points, with Ignacio having a game-high 23. Stevens was the only Methodist player to reach 10+ with a team-high 18.

UP NEXT

• Methodist concludes their four game road series on Monday when they visit Greensboro College in a USA South matchup at 7PM.
• Mary Baldwin wraps up their five game homestand on Wednesday with an USA South contest against Averett University at 7 PM.