Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan defeated the Lees-McRae Bobcats in Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on Tuesday evening in an 88-66 final score.

The Warriors shot 51.6% from the field and were 48% from beyond the arc.  Demarcus Addie led the team with 29 points.  Ta'Jay Dunlap followed with 20 points, including hitting his 1000 career point early on in the second half of the game.  Julian Cameron was the final Warrior to collect double digits as he had 13 points.  Southern Wesleyan had fifteen assists during the game with Tranard Ferrell and Addie each recording four.  Dunlap followed with three.

Southern Wesleyan collected 31 rebounds.  Demarcus Addie led the team with eight.  Both Addie and Quinian Rieves had blocks during the game.  Southern Wesleyan had nine steals with both Cameron and Davion Bradford producing three steals apiece.


 
Game Vitals

Final: Southern Wesleyan 88, Lees-McRae 66

Records: Southern Wesleyan (12-5 / CC 10-3) Lees-McRae (11-7 / CC 9-6)


 
How It Happened

Lees-McRae took an early lead as a jump shot by Timon Jones put them on top 2-0.  However, the Warriors countered as Ta'Jay Dunlap made a jump shot to tie it up.  The tie was short lived as a three point basket by Drew Gardner put the Bobcats ahead by three.  Lees-McRae continued to push ahead, but Southern Wesleyan was not discouraged as Dunlap scored his first three point shot of the day to keep the Warriors within two.  Back-to-back three pointers by Arusha Hunter and Demarcus Addie allowed the Warriors to take the lead for the first time in the game.  Addie passed the ball down the court to Hunter Davis who dunked it into the basket to give Southern Wesleyan a 13-9 point lead with just over thirteen minutes left.  Lees-McRae would not go down quietly as Timon Jones made a three to allow the Bobcats to regain the lead.  The Bobcats took a three point lead on a three pointer by Gardner.  Despite trailing, the Warriors continued to push ahead as Ta'Jay Dunlap and Demarcus Addie each laid the ball up to allow Southern Wesleyan to come to 38-34 behind Lees-McRae.  The Warriors continued to push ahead as baskets by Addie allowed them to lead by one point at the half.

The Bobcats struck first in the second half as Sidney Dollar laid the ball up to give them a one point lead.  Lees-McRae went on to extend their lead seconds later, but a three point shot by Ta'Jay Dunlap allowed the Warriors to keep the game tied up at 42-points apiece.  Demarcus Addie sunk two more three point baskets to put the lead back into Southern Wesleyan's hands.  Jump shots by Tranard Ferrell and Julian Cameron extended the Warriors' lead to five points.  Southern Wesleyan pushed further ahead as a three point shot by Arusha Hunter gave the Warriors a 58-47 point lead.  The Warriors continued to drive toward the net, extending their lead to fourteen points on a jump shot by Quinian Rieves.  Dunlap laid the ball into the basket to give the Warriors a twenty-one point lead with just under eight minutes remaining.  The Warriors continued to push past the Bobcats defense as Rieves and Julian Cameron each scored two points to extend the Southern Wesleyan lead to 86-62.  A last second dunk by Davion Bradford gave the Warriors an 88-66 victory.


 
What's Next

The Warriors will next travel to Wilson, NC to take on the Barton Bulldogs on February 4 at 7 p.m.  They will remain on the road on February 5 to take on the University of Mount Olive Trojans in Mount Olive, NC at 4 p.m.  Southern Wesleyan will return to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium on February 8 to host the King Tornado at 7:30.  They will then travel to Pembroke, NC to take on the UNC Pembroke Braves on February 11.