BUENA VISTA, Va.  Methodist men's basketball team crossed state lines on Saturday for a USA South Athletic Conference contest with Southern Virginia University. The game was held in Knights Arena, where the host Knights pulled away late to take a 78-58 win over the Monarchs.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Southern Virginia def. Methodist, 78-58
Records: Methodist 0-17 (0-6 USA South), Southern Virginia 10-8 (3-4)
Location: Knights Arena; Buena Vista, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first points of the ball game belonged to Methodist after Montell Moore made his first shot. That small, and only, lead for the Monarchs disappeared as Jamarcus Robertson nailed a three and later one free throw to put Southern Virginia up 4-2. Soon after Methodist got a basket from Brone Brinson to tie the score up.
• The Knights would get another three, this time by Dane Ibsen, to make it 10-6 but a quick four points from Brinson and Clayton Coe allowed the Monarchs to even the scoreboard once more. Over the next seven minutes four more ties would occur until Ibsen gave Southern Virginia some breathing room with a pair of threes on back-to-back possessions.
• A three by Jeremy Mull made it a one possession, 26-23, game for Methodist. With 11 seconds until halftime, a layup by Ibsen made it 29-24 in favor of the Knights but a last second bucket by Derrion Hicklen had the Monarchs only trailing by three.
• Both squads used the beginning part of the second half to show off their ability to shoot from long range as each side were making a flurry of three-pointers. Once again Southern Virginia was able to gain some wiggle room after a five-point spurt to give them a 44-37 advantage. Methodist did everything what the team could do to stay within a single digit deficit but an 11-0 run by the Knights opened up the scoreboard, which proved to be too much for the Monarchs to come back from.

MORE TO IT

• Southern Virginia had four shooters reach double digit points and were led by Shaun Kenedy with 19 points. For Methodist, Moore had a team-high 11 points.
• The Knights dominated the rebound battle by a 43 to 24 margin. Koa Baker of Southern Virginia came down with a game-high 15 rebounds and finished with a double-double, after scoring 11 points as well. Coe came up just short of his own double-double for the Monarchs following a nine point and 10 rebound game.
• Along with the Knights getting more rebounds, it led to Southern Virginia scoring 20 additional second chance points, while Methodist had zero.

UP NEXT
Methodist heads back to its home court of the March F. Riddle Center on Wednesday, where the Monarchs will play North Carolina Wesleyan University in USA South play. The game is scheduled for 7:30 PM.