Rocky Mount, NC - The Southern Virginia men's basketball team faced a tough challenge in their USA South conference opener against the reigning champions, the N.C. Wesleyan Battling Bishops, ultimately falling short in a closely contested game with a final score of 64-72.
The game started with a competitive battle between the Knights and the Bishops, witnessing several lead changes. A pivotal Alex Weiland jumper gave the Knights a narrow 15-12 lead. However, Southern Virginia encountered difficulty finding their rhythm behind the arc, missing their first seven three-point attempts. The Knights struggled to keep pace with the formidable Bishops, enduring a five-minute scoring drought. It was a timely Sam Jex three-pointer that finally ended the cold spell, narrowing the deficit to nine points at halftime, with the score at 29-38 in favor of N.C. Wesleyan.
Entering the second half, the Knights displayed impressive play from their big men, Tyler Kartchner and Malakai Olson, securing crucial offensive rebounds and reducing the deficit to just five points with 10 minutes remaining.
However, the Knights' offense struggled significantly from beyond the arc, managing just a 1-15 shooting performance in the second half. This offensive challenge allowed the Bishops to maintain a slight edge in scoring, resulting in a final score of 64-72.
Southern Virginia encountered defensive pressure from the Bishops, particularly evident in their 4-28 shooting from beyond the arc throughout the game. Despite the Knights' commendable effort in ball handling, registering their lowest turnovers of the season with just seven, it wasn't enough to overcome the Battling Bishops' lead.
Koa Baker led the Knights in scoring with 19 points in this game as well as his third double-double of the season bringing in 10 rebounds.
The team will return home for their first home game since November, hosting Brevard College on Saturday, January 6th, with tip-off scheduled for 2:00 PM. This upcoming matchup marks the third contest between the two teams, each side currently holding one win apiece.
