Two Presbyterian College basketball teams returned home Saturday night feeling pleased with themselves after crossing successfully into the Southern Conference.
The men defeated Virginia Military, 75-71, in Lexington, Va., and the women cruised past Western Carolina, 60-41, in Cullowhee, N.C.
Trevon Reddish-Rhone led Presbyterian (6-3) with 14 points (2/3 three-pointers) and seven rebounds. He was one of six Blue Hose to score in double figures.
Marquis Barnett added 13, Jonah Pierce and Samage Teel 11 each, and Kobe Stewart and Kory Mincy with 10 apiece.
Two players, Brennan Watkins with 20 points and Tyran Cook with 16, bore most of the Keydets’ scoring load. VMI seldom visited the free-throw line but hit 6/7. VMI was superior on the boards, piling up a 41-30 edge and placing two, Taeshaud Jackson with 14 and Stephen Olowoniyi with 10, in double digits.
Presbyterian connected on 10 three-point field goals in the game. The Blue Hose scored 20 fast-break points and forced 16 turnovers, committing nine.
In defeating VMI (2-7) for the fourth time in three seasons – and 11th time in 18 tries all-time – PC put up quite a list of fun facts:
Reddish-Rhone had the 33rd double-figure outing of his career. Barnett’s was his 26th. Teel had his eighth straight.
Presbyterian’s 20 fast-break points were the second most fast break points that the Blue Hose has scored in a game this season.
PC’s first-half margin of four (36-32) was the difference in the game as both teams scored 39 in the second half.
The Keydets scored five of the game’s first seven points and led by nine, 17-8, with 12:12 remaining in the half. Over the final 3:20 of the half, the Blue Hose scored nine straight points.
VMI started fast in the second half, too, scoring nine of the first 14 points, and a 7-0 rn put the Keydets up, 50-43 at 14:45. PC responded with 10 straight points, and then VMI launched a 12-1 rally that put it up, 62-54.
And … PC scored 17 of the next 20 to take control with 1:52 remaining.
The Blue Hose begin a three-game homestand against Florida A&M at Templeton Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Take a look at the stats here.
Where the distance was a bit shorter and the mountains a bit higher, Mara Neira’s season-best 19 points – and .556 three-point shooting – led a romp past Western Carolina, 60-41.
Bryanna Brady added 11 points and Tilda Sjokvist 10.
“Our kids showed up and did the work,” head coach Alaura Sharp stated. “We were able to steal some baskets in transition, which I think was really big for us.”
The game did not begin well for the visitors. The Catamounts ended the first quarter on top, 15-8. It took the Blue Hose till halftime to fix the deficit. PC led at halftime, 27-25.
The third quarter was sluggish but all Blue Hose. Western Carolina (2-6) scored only three points in the entire third quarter. Presbyterian (6-3) had nine.
The Blue Hose brought the excitement back with 10 straight points to open the fourth quarter. Neira popped back-to-back triples.
Not one Catamount scored in double figures. Jada Burton scored nine points. PC dominated on the boards, outrebounding WCU, 43-29.
The Blue Hose made 10 steals, which led to 14 points, and 19 more off turnovers.
Presbyterian takes on the Queens Royals in Charlotte, N.C., on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Take a look at the stats here.
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