Banner Elk, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Lees-McRae Bobcats on Saturday afternoon in an 82-74 final score.
The Warriors shot 40.7% from the field in the loss to the Bobcats. Jaquay Randolph led the Warriors as he collected 26 points while going 7-15 from the field. He was followed by Will Little (23 points) and Malachi Cooper (14 points). Little led the team with three 3-point shots in the game. Of the 14 assists, senior Bobby Taylor had nine.
Southern Wesleyan collected 34 rebounds during the match up. Jaquay Randolph picked up yet another double-double game as he pulled down 15 boards. The Warriors blocked five attacks by the Bobcats. Jamarras McCray had three while Randolph had two. Bobby Taylor had two steals during the game.
Game Vitals
Final: Lees-McRae 82, Southern Wesleyan 74
Records: Southern Wesleyan (1-7 / CC 0-4) Lees-McRae (5-4 / CC 2-2)
How It Happened
Southern Wesleyan was first on the board as Bobby Taylor drove to the basket and laid the ball up. The Warriors would not back down as Jaquay Randolph got up a layup and then Will Little dunked the ball into the basket. Isajah Deburgo wove around the Warriors to lay the ball up and tie the game up at six. Lees-McRae took the lead seconds later as Cedric Patterson put up a layup. Three pointers by Dwight Canady Jr and Deburgo allowed the Bobcats to extend their lead to five. Josh Parker stepped beyond the arc and hit a three pointer. With just over thirteen minutes on the clock, Hudson Yarbrough sent the ball under the basket to Malachi Cooper. Cooper laid the ball up to put the Warriors behind the Bobcats 17-14. However, the Bobcats continued to hit baskets from beyond the arc as both Canady and Justin Bramao got the ball in. Jaquay Randolph wove around the defense and laid the ball up to allow the Warriors to come back to within nine points. Bobby Taylor got the ball out to Will Little who knocked down a three pointer. Seconds later, Little put up another three pointer to cut the Bobcats lead down to five. Southern Wesleyan continued to challenge Lees-McRae as Taylor stole the ball away from Chase McDuffie and passed it down the court to Little. Little laid the ball up to tie the game at twenty-eight. The Bobcats regained the lead, but Josh Parker got up a mid-range to put the Warriors right back within one. Lees-McRae continued to challenge the Warriors as Isajah Deburgo laid the ball up, but Southern Wesleyan answered with a layup by Will Little. Southern Wesleyan trailed Lees-McRae 38-36 going into the locker room.
The Warriors charged out of the gate in the second half as Jaquay Randolph laid the ball up into the basket to tie the game. Bobby Taylor passed the ball out beyond the arc to Malachi Cooper who knocked down a three pointer to put the Warriors ahead. Will Little pulled down a rebound and quickly took the ball down the court. He sent it out to Jaquay Randolph who put up a three pointer to extend Southern Wesleyan's lead to 47-38. Lees-McRae stopped the Warriors run as Kenny Vera hit a three pointer. The Bobcats continued their challenge as Vera hit another three pointer to put them back within two points of the Warriors. Dwight Canady Jr collected a pass from Vera and laid the ball up to tie the game up at fifty-three with just over twelve minutes left in the half. A layup by Isajah Deburgo put the Bobcats on top, but it was short lived as a foul sent Malachi Cooper to the charity stripe. Cooper hit both his shots to keep the game tied up. The Warriors and Bobcats answered each others shots, but Lees-McRae began to pull away on a jump shot by Jack Carter. Southern Wesleyan stayed within four points of the Bobcats as Jaquay Randolph laid the ball up into the basket off a pass from Bobby Taylor. Little sunk a three pointer with just over five minutes left on the clock. The Bobcats took a ten point lead as Chase McDuffie laid the ball up into the basket. Despite last second three pointers by Malachi Cooper and Josh Parker, the Warriors fell to the Bobcats in an 82-74 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will return home on Tuesday, December 16 as they welcome the North Greenville Trailblazers to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium. The Warriors will honor the Faculty and Staff of Southern Wesleyan University during the game. They will travel over to take on USC Upstate on December 17 in an exhibition game. The Warriors will then hit the road to Americus, GA to take on the Georgia Southwestern Canes on December 20.
