MOC men snap five-game losing streak

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 13, 2011 1:51 AM

• Print
• Email

MOC Sports Information

DUE WEST, S.C. -- Ewon Wright scored 11 of his game-high 13 points in the first half as Mount Olive defeated Erskine 49-35 on Saturday.

The 35 points are the fewest allowed by the Trojans since Mount Olive reclassified to NCAA Division II in 1995.

Both teams were still in single digits midway through the first half until Wright's three-pointer triggered a run of seven unanswered points and gave Mount Olive (11-11 overall, 6-8 Conference Carolinas) a 15-7 lead with 7:45 left in the first half. Erskine (2-18, 1-12) pulled within 15-13 on DeShaun Hall's basket with 4:51 remaining. But Mount Olive would hold the Flying Fleet scoreless the remainder of the half and went into the locker room with a 21-13 lead.

Dory Hines' offensive rebound and basket on Mount Olive's opening possession of the second half gave the Trojans their first double-digit lead of the game. Erskine got as close as seven after a three-pointer by Hall, but Hines' three-point play with 17:24 remaining extended Mount Olive's lead to 28-18 and the margin stayed in double figures the remainder of the game. Caleb Henderson's basket with 15:04 left to play capped a 9-0 run and gave the Trojans their biggest lead of the game at 34-18.

Hines and Brandon Allen both flirted with double-doubles for Mount Olive, Hines scoring seven points and pulling down a game-high nine rebounds, Allen adding eight points and eight rebounds. The Trojans outrebounded Erskine 42-20. The win snapped Mount Olive's five-game losing skid.

Hall and Casey Sorrell led Erskine with 11 points apiece. The Flying Fleet were held to 33.3 percent shooting, despite Sorrell's 5-for-7 performance from the floor. Erskine limited Mount Olive to 34.0 percent from the field.

The previous lowest scoring total allowed by Mount Olive came in the first meeting against Erskine this year, a 54-40 Trojan victory January 22 at Kornegay Arena.

Mount Olive returns to action Tuesday as the Trojans travel to Hartsville, S.C., to take on Coker in a Conference Carolinas match-up. Mount Olive edged Coker 79-77 on Derek Staton's buzzer-beater January 15 at Kornegay Arena. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.