Pembroke, NC - The Southern Wesleyan University Warriors were defeated in the first game of their 2023-24 Conference Carolinas' campaign against Preseason #1 UNC Pembroke on Saturday Afternoon.

Che Smith led the team with 11 points, followed by Eric Hackett with 10, Raevon Allen with 9, and Aaron Tims and Dyren Brown with 8 each. Smith and Brown also had team highs in rebounds (4), assists (2), and steals (2), but Dyren added 2 blocks as well. As a team, SWU shot 20-53 (37.7%) from the field, 4-18 (22.2%) from behind the arc, and 15-30 (50%) from the free throw line. 



Game Vitals:

Final: University of North Carolina at Pembroke 84, Southern Wesleyan University 59

Records: University of North Carolina at Pembroke (6-3, 0-1), Southern Wesleyan University (0-7, 0-1)



How It Happened: 

Coach Hewitt opted to add Eric Hackett to the starting lineup for the Conference Opener, giving the Freshman from Lexington, Kentucky his first career start. Alongside Hackett in the first five were Raevon Allen, Reco Hallmon, Dyren Brown, and Aaron Tims. After UNC Pembroke's JaJuan Carr opened the scoring in the contest, SWU's Reco Hallmon answered on the ensuing possession following a beautiful feed from Dyren Brown. Brown had a great start to the game scoring or assisting on the first 9 Warrior Points. 3 of those points were scored by Griffin Effenberger, which put the Warriors down 1 at the under 16 timeout. Che Smith recorded two steals within a minute of checking into the ball game, one of which resulted in fast break points for the Warriors. Two Hackett free throws cut into the Braves lead making it 24-20 with 8:25 remaining in the first half. UNC Pembroke then went on a 19-6 leading up to a Che Smith layup with less than a second left in the half. The Braves took a 43-28 lead into the locker room. Che Smith led all Warrior scorers with 6 points at the break. 

Eric Hackett made 1 of 2 free throws at the 18:56 mark to open the scoring for Southern Wesleyan in the second half. A Dyren Brown 3 and 2 Che Smith free throws cut the lead to 14 at the 16:45 mark, and that would be as close as the Warriors were in the second half. The Warriors were held scoreless for the next 5:28 as the Braves went on an 18-0 run making it a 65-34 game with 11:27 left in the game. Freshmen Eric Hackett, Jonathan Taylor, James Shoenfelt, and Chad Clark scored 11 of the final 12 points and had some bright spots in the closing minutes. But it would not be enough as the Warriors drop to 0-7 overall and 0-1 in conference play.



What's Next:

The Warriors will travel to Anderson University on Wednesday, December 6th, to Young-Harris College on Saturday, December 9th, and then will play Emory and Henry College at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina on Monday, December 11th.