BUENA VISTA, Va. Hitting the hardwood for the first time in 2026, the Methodist men's basketball team traveled to Southern Virginia University for the team's opening USA South matchup on Saturday.
KJ Brooks led the way for the Monarchs with a team-best 19 points, but the Knights prevailed at home by a score of 78–67.
JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Southern Virginia def. Methodist, 78–67
Records: Methodist 3–7 (0–1 USA South), Southern Virginia 5–6 (1–0 USA South)
Location: Knight Arena; Buena Vista, Virginia
HOW IT HAPPENED
Southern Virginia was first to score, getting to the basket on its first three possessions of the game to take a 6–0 lead. The Monarchs joined in on the action, going back and forth with the Knights until Brooks knocked down two free throws to tie the score at 17–17 with 11 and a half minutes to go in the first half. Methodist drew even with Southern Virginia four more times across the next four minutes but never captured a lead. The Knights closed the half on an 18–6 run, taking a 43–31 advantage into the break.
Southern Virginia's lead crept as high as 17 in the second half before a seven-point swing (which included back-to-back three-pointers by
Deuce Rice and
Brian Bullock) pulled Methodist back within 10 with more than eight minutes remaining. Consecutive buckets for Bullock near the basket with under four minutes to go brought the Monarchs within six points of the Knights (68–62), but Southern Virginia thwarted off the late Methodist push by making enough free throws to secure an 11-point victory.
MORE TO IT
The Monarchs shot the ball well (52% in the first half, 44.3% overall), but the Knights shot even better (68% in the first half, 55.3% overall).
Methodist turned the ball over just seven times (compared to Southern Virginia's 15 turnovers), marking the third time in the last four games that the team has committed single-digit turnovers.
UP NEXT
The Monarchs are at home on Tuesday, Jan. 6 when they take on the Pfeiffer University Falcons. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
