Lions knock off Limestone for first win of season
The Mars Hill men's basketball team (1-4, 1-4 SAC) emerged victorious on the road versus Limestone (1-8, 1-8 SAC) Wednesday night by a score of 74-68 for their first win of the season.
GAFFNEY, S.C. - The Mars Hill men's basketball team (1-4, 1-4 SAC) emerged victorious on the road versus Limestone (1-8, 1-8 SAC) Wednesday night by a score of 74-68 for their first win of the season.
The contest was tied at 33 after the first half. Following four lead changes in the first 4:35 of the second half, a layup from Austin Gilyard kicked off an 8-0 run to build a seven-point lead for the Lions, 48-41 with under 14 minutes to play.
With 9:24 remaining, Limestone battled back to tie the game at 54 following an Isayah Owens jumper, but the Lions answered with a 5-0 run capped off by a Michael Houge three-point play. A resilient Saints' squad battled back to take the lead with under six minutes to play off of an Ayo Dada three-pointer.
Counterpunching once again, the Lions reeled off 10 straight points to go up 71-62 with 2:54 to play. Reggie Wright and Nassyr Daniel each had three points during the run. Limestone pulled within four late, but a Wright jumper with 34 seconds remaining added insurance for the Lions first win of the season.
Dada led all players with 18 points in the half while Gilyard paced the Lions' offense, netting 12. Javonte Cooke added eight points and eight rebounds in the frame.
Limestone jumped out to an early 7-0 run in the first 3:29 of the contest. Mars Hill battled to tie the game at nine from a Jackson Reid three-pointer with 11:30 remaining in the first half. Reid followed up with a layup to give the Lions their first lead of the contest just a minute later.
The lead changed several times over the next five minutes of play until a Ben Gahlert three-pointer extended the Saints' lead to four with 5:29 to play in the half. Gahlert, moments later, pushed their lead to six. The Lions clawed back into the contest and with 13 seconds remaining, Justus Shelton's free throw knotted the game at 33-all.
Cooke scored 11 of the Lions' 33 first half points followed by Gilyard and Reid's seven apiece. Owens led the Saints with 10 points.
Dada led all players with 23 points, adding five rebounds. Owens ended the contest with 14 points.
Cooke and Gilyard each recorded 19 points with Cooke leading all players by collecting 13 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Wright, Houge, and Reid all added seven points apiece.
The Lions return to action on Saturday, January 30 when they take on Catawba on the road. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
