Mike Moore led four players in double figures with 18 points, while Kendall Hargrove recorded his second straight double-double as nationally 17th-ranked University of Mount Olive remained unbeaten with a 79-59 victory over Limestone College in Conference Carolinas men's basketball Tuesday at Kornegay Arena. Moore was part of a rare six-point play that helped the Trojans break the game open late in the first half.
After a sluggish start, Mount Olive (6-0 overall, 2-0 Conference Carolinas) used steals by Hargrove and JaQuan Blount to key a 6-0 run and give the Trojans their first double-digit lead at 16-6 with 11:34 left in the first half. Limestone (1-3, 1-1) got as close as six points, but offensive rebounds by Dominique Reed on consecutive possessions helped Mount Olive push the lead back to 10 points.
Jordan McCain's layup with 4:38 left before halftime gave Mount Olive its biggest lead of the half at 30-14. Limestone again cut the margin to single digits as Assad Woods scored the final five points of a 7-0 Saints run. A foul underneath the basket on John Wieland's three-pointer gave possession back to Mount Olive and Moore completed the six-point play with a three-pointer to give the Trojans a 36-21 lead. The Trojans scored their final points of the half from the free throw line and went into the locker room with a 38-23 advantage.
After Limestone pulled within 40-28 on Shaq Dance's three-pointer, the 6-foot-8 Moore knocked down his second three-pointer. Moore went 8-for-10 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range.
Mount Olive took its biggest lead of the night at 60-36 with 12:27 left to play as Hargrove had a pair of dunks during an 8-0 run. The margin never fell below 16 points the rest of the way.
Dontrell Brite, this week's Conference Carolinas Men's Basketball Player of the Week, contributed 13 points and seven assists for the Trojans. McCain scored 11 points, while Hargrove finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Woods hit 10-of-11 free throws and shared game-high honors with 18 points to go with nine rebounds. Dance added 13 points for the Saints.
Mount Olive returns to action Sunday as the Trojans play host to GRU Augusta in a non-conference match-up. Tip-off is 4 p.m. at Kornegay Arena.