FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. For the third time this season, the Methodist men's basketball fell to USA South Athletic Conference foe North Carolina Wesleyan College, on Wednesday night, by a score of 77-58 in the March F. Riddle Center.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: N.C. Wesleyan def. Methodist, 77-58
Records: Methodist 1-16 (0-7 USA South), N.C. Wesleyan 14-6 (6-3)
Location: March F. Riddle Center; Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the Battling Bishops took an early 8-2 advantage, senior Kevin McLaughlin Jr. made the next two Monarch baskets, including a shot from downtown, to bring the score to 8-7. Than Austin Manley of N.C. Wesleyan knocked down a three to start a 7-0 spurt for the Battling Bishops.
• With 8:35 left until the midway point, Jeremy Mull found an open McLaughlin Jr. for his second three-pointer of the game to make it 19-16. N.C. Wesleyan would use two additional runs of 8-0 & 9-0 to put some distance between them and Methodist for a 41-21 halftime.
• Even though the Monarchs found themselves down at the break it did not stop them from bringing some energy into the second half. Methodist came out by scoring the first 13 points of the half, which included buckets from Tomas Stevens, Clayton Coe, Brone Brinson, and Jashea Hart, to make it 41-34.
• Kyron Kelly would finally get the Battling Bishops their first points of the half with a lay-in plus a free throw. As the game progressed, N.C. Wesleyan kept trying to increase their lead but Mull responded back with some big shot, including a three to bring the score down to a 10-point difference, 63-53. In the final six minutes though, the Battling Bishops outscored the Monarchs 14-5 to secure the win.

MORE TO IT

• Damon McDowell of N.C. Wesleyan finished with a game-high 27 points after shooting 9 for 18 from the field and 7 for 12 from behind the arc. Brinson and McLaughlin tied Methodist's team-high of 13.
• The Monarchs had no answer when it came to the battle of the boards. Methodist was out rebounded 52 to 30, including the Battling Bishops getting 19 offensive rebounds compared to the Monarchs seven.
• Both sides missed a gross amount of shots from the charity stripe. N.C. Wesleyan was 44.8% (13-29) from the line while Methodist only made nine of their 19 attempts (47.4%)

UP NEXT

• Methodist will be back in action on Saturday as Greensboro College makes the trip to Fayetteville for a USA South bout at 2 PM.
• N.C. Wesleyan heads back to Rocky Mount, where they begin a three game USA South home stand starting on Saturday against Pfeiffer University at 2 PM.