Dominique Reed led the University of Mount Olive to a 73-65 win over Carson-Newman University and a 2-0 record at the Barton 45-Second Classic Saturday afternoon in Wilson, N.C. in men's non-conference basketball. Four Trojan players scored in double figures.
Carson-Newman came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. The Eagles started the game with 8-0 run and quickly took the game's momentum. The Trojans' (2-0) Mike Moore stopped the run with 16:15 in the first half as he nailed a jumper and put Mount Olive on the board.
The Eagles (1-1) controlled the first period as they never let the Trojans take to lead. Carson-Newman expanded their lead to as high as 13 with a layup by Josh Rodgers midway through the first half. Five unanswered points by Mount Olive brought the Eagles lead down to four with 1:24. James Rucker with :44 before the half crashed the offensive board and got the tip-in to keep the deficit at four 34-38.
The second half Mount Olive's offensive kicked into gear. Jaquan Blount connected on a jumper to push the game even for the first time since the tip-off and with 16:44 the game was knotted at 40. Carson-Newman responded with a five point run and looked to stay ahead for good as they regained the lead 40-46.
Close to midway through the second period Kendall Hargrove brought the deficit down to 49-52 on a made free throw at the 11:26 mark. Reed and Blount combined for six unanswered points with 7:41 left in the game to give the Trojans their first lead of the game at 55-54. One minute later Hargrove added two more points and Mount Olive had a three point lead, a lead they did not surrender for the remainder of the game.
Mount Olive's Dontrell Brite hit three straight jumpers, one from beyond the arch in a two minute span to help give the Trojans a comfortable 69-58 lead with 2:17 left in the game. Carson-Newman finished the game with five points in just eight seconds but it was not enough to crawl back as Mount Olive took the final score 73-65.
Reed finished with 14 points a team high and five blocks. Brite and Jordan McCain both had 13 points. Brite was two assists away from a double-double. Blount finished with 12 points.
Carson Brooks lead the Eagles with 17 points and Clark behind him with 10.
The 2-0 start for Mount Olive puts the team on a good run headed into Conference Carolinas play. The Trojans stay on the road and head into Misenheimer, N.C. to take of Pfeiffer University Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m.