Yeargin Lifts Lions to Victory at Lenoir-Rhyne

HICKORY, N.C.- Justin Yeargin's 3-pointer with four seconds remaining gave the Mars Hill men's basketball team a 74-71 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne in Shuford Gymnasium. The Lions complete the season sweep of the Bears and close out the 2014-15 season with an 11-17 overall record and 6-16 South Atlantic Conference mark. Lenoir-Rhyne finished at 8-18 and 6-16.

In his final collegiate game, Isaiah Cuthbertson led the Lions with 21 points and seven rebounds. Michael Carson scored 19 points, followed by Yeargin with 12. Valentine Bauer had a game-high seven assists.

Lenoir-Rhyne had five players finish in double figures, led by Billy Bales with 14 points. Reed Lucas scored 12 points, followed by Rob Noyes with 11. Will Perry and Jake Wilson each scored 10 points. Noyes posted a double-double as he finished with 11 rebounds.

The first 10 minutes of the second half were tightly contested as neither team led by more than five points. A Carson 3-pointer with 8:30 remaining gave the Lions a 58-50 advantage. Lenoir-Rhyne responded, pulling to within two (61-59) following a Wilson layup with 5:52 to go. Cuthbertson's jumper with 3:51 remaining pushed the Lion advantage back to eight, 67-59.

After the teams traded 3-pointers, the Bears crept to within two points (70-68) following a Lucas bucket with 1:26 to go. Cuthbertson was fouled with 55 seconds remaining and made one of two free throws, which allowed Perry to tie the contest at 71 with a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining. Yeargin gave the Lions the game-winning shot, sinking a bucket from behind the arc after receiving a Bauer pass. Perry had an opportunity to force overtime, but his shot was off the mark and senior Thomas Anderson pulled down the rebound to secure the victory.

The first half featured five ties and 10 lead changes with neither team leading by more than four points. A Noyes layup followed by a Dalvon McDaniel layup sent Lenoir-Rhyne into halftime with a 34-31 lead.

Mars Hill outshot Lenoir-Rhyne by a slim 54.9 percent to 54.5 percent margin. The Bears held a 31-24 advantage on the glass.

Cuthbertson finishes the 2014-15 season as the South Atlantic Conference leader in offensive rebounds with 103 and second in total rebounds with 235.