Season-Best Shooting Performance Lifts Trojans Past Belmont Abbey 100-61

Season-Best Shooting Performance Lifts Trojans Past Belmont Abbey 100-61

Dontrell Brite went 5-for-6 from three-point range, including a pair of three-pointers during a late first-half run to break open a close game as University of Mount Olive defeated Belmont Abbey 100-61 in Conference Carolinas men's basketball Monday at Pembroke, N.C. Brite finished with a game-high 22 points as the Trojans posted their seventh win in their last eight games.

Mount Olive (15-8 overall, 9-4 Conference Carolinas) led 33-28 with just under five minutes left in the first half when Dory Hines and Jordan McCain hit back-to-back layups. Brite hit a three-pointer with 3:21 remaining to give the Trojans their first double-digit lead at 40-28. After a Belmont Abbey basket, McCain answered with a three-pointer and another three by Brite gave Mount Olive its biggest lead of the half at 46-30.

Ryan Conrad connected on a three-pointer for Belmont Abbey with 1:28 left before Josh Hicks closed out the half for Mount Olive with a steal and layup to give the Trojans a 48-33 halftime advantage.

Belmont Abbey (9-14, 5-8) got as close as 12 points after Justin Kuhlman's three-pointer with 17:30 remaining pulled the Crusaders within 52-40. Brite answered with another three-pointer on Mount Olive's next possession and the margin never fell below 15 points the rest of the way.

The margin reached the 30-point mark for the first time after McCain's layup 9:29 left to play gave Mount Olive a 77-47 lead. The final score marked Mount Olive's biggest lead of the game as Stuart Mileo came off the bench to connect on a pair of three-pointers in the final three minutes of the contest.

Mount Olive recorded season highs with 66.1 percent (41-for-62) shooting from the field and 63.6 percent shooting (14-for-22) from three-point range. Brite was 8-for-11 from the field, while McCain was 8-for-9 and Kendall Hargrove was a perfect 6-for-6. McCain finished with 18 points, John Wieland scored 15 points and Hargrove added 13 points. Hines, who recorded the first triple-double in Trojan men's basketball history two weeks ago, nearly recorded his second with nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Darryl Durham led Belmont Abbey with 21 points on 10-for-12 shooting.

Monday's contest was originally scheduled for last week, but had to be postponed due to the snowstorm that hit the Carolinas. Mount Olive will play its third game in five days Wednesday as the Trojans travel to Banner Elk, N.C., to take on Lees-McRae. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.