FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Methodist College broke open a one-point ballgame midway late in the second half Sunday evening to take a 90-81 Dixie Conference victory over visiting Shenandoah.
Methodist (16-9, 12-2 Dixie) led 70-69 with just over five minutes remaining but scored 12 of the game's next 13 points to help key the nine point victory. MC claims a share of the Dixie Conference title with the win; they made up a two-game deficit in the season's final weekend by beating co-champion Christopher Newport on Saturday and then getting some help from Greensboro, who sent CNU down for a second straight day with an 86-78 Sunday triumph.
Shenandoah (12-12, 5-9) ties for fifth in the standings with Chowan; SU and CC had a coinflip for the No. 5 seed with the Hornets winning it. This puts Coach Rob Harris' club into the 8:00 game on Thursday against Greensboro.
After SU scored the first seven points of the contest and then MC tied it at 9-9 with 16:54 remaining, the two teams traded the lead back and forth five times and were tied on seven other occasions in the first 20 minutes of play. Perhaps the biggest play of the half came in the final five seconds as SU turned the ball over with a chance to get within one and then Eddie Lamar canned a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the hosts 51-45 halftime lead.
Methodist threatened to pull away at the start of the second, but Shenandoah got it to one with a 19-9 run of their own immediately preceding the Monarchs spurt.
Senior Tyson Thompson (Keysville, Va./Randolph Henry) had a game high 23 while Chad Brashears (Hagerstown, Md./St. Maria Goretti) added 18 and Halston Camp (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) 15. Thompson also turned in a double-double; he had 10 assists.
Elliott Williams had 22 and Brandon Mish 12 for Methodist.
A complete box score and play by play can be found at http://www.su.edu/athletics/mb/200203/0223203.htm
Shenandoah is in action again on Thursday evening in the quarterfinal round of the Dixie Conference. SU will take on Chowan in the 8:00 contest.
