FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Following a one-week hiatus, Methodist University men's basketball returned to the court on Saturday, hosting Greensboro College in a USA South Athletic Conference contest. It took the Monarchs a bit to get started, but once the team got into a rhythm, they overpowered the Pride 79–61 to claim their first conference win of the season.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Greensboro, 79–61
Records: Methodist 5–11 (1-4 USA South), Greensboro 3–14 (2-4)
Location: March F. Riddle Center; Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After Greensboro recorded the first seven points of the ballgame, Ke Edwards scored six of the next seven Methodist points to bring his team to within two, 9-7. An additional Pride basket put them up by four until the Monarchs went on a 6-0 run and took a 13-11 lead. Greensboro briefly reclaimed the lead following a five-point spurt, but then Methodist stormed right back by scoring the next ten straight points, with Edwards and Zac Sledge each registering four points, to go in front by eight, 27-19.
• With a little over two minutes remaining before the midway break, a layup by Jack Pfister finished off a 7-2 Greensboro run to bring the deficit down to three points, 29-26. It didn't take long for the Monarchs to get four of those points back as they connected a couple of quick baskets, which included Edwards' posturizing dunk over a Pride defender, within 20 seconds. Then, one last bucket by Chance Minott would send Methodist into the locker room with a 35-27 advantage.
• The start of the second half was the Edwards and Sledge show for the Monarchs as the duo combined for 11 points and pushed the score to 46-32. Later in the game, Methodist reached its largest lead of the day, 66-39, a 27-point difference, after the team used another 11-0 run.
• The two teams then kept exchanging points throughout the next several minutes until the score reached 77-52, with about three minutes left in the contest. During a 9-2 run to end the game, Aidan Eller would score seven of the last nine Greensboro points, including the final four points at the free throw line.

MORE TO IT

• It was a career shooting day for Edwards, who finished with 28 points. Not only were his total points a career-high, but his 14 made baskets were also a career-best. This was also the third consecutive game Edwards had scored 20 or more points.
• Along with Edwards, Sledge (14), David McCallum Jr. (10), and Jarius Fajardo (10) were other Methodist shooters that eclipsed double-digit points.
• The Monarchs span a six-game losing streak against the Pride. The last time Methodist defeated Greensboro was at home during the 2020-21 season, a 70-65 win.

UP NEXT
Methodist concludes its three-game homestand on Wednesday, January 29, as the Battling Bishops of North Carolina Wesleyan University visits Fayetteville. The opening tip is scheduled for 7 PM.