Rocky Mount, N.C.- The N.C. Wesleyan men's basketball team routed Mid-Atlantic Christian in Wednesday night's home opener by a 91-53 score in Everett Gym. The Bishops are now 3-3 overall and will host their annual Roger Taylor Invitational over the weekend.
Wesleyan never trailed on Wednesday, racing out to a 15-2 advantage over the first eight minutes of play and holding a double-digit lead for most of the half. The Mustangs, however, put together a late 11-4 run over the final 6:14 to pull within five, 35-30, at the break.
NCWC pulled away by out-scoring MACU 28-8 in the first ten minutes of the second half, a run that was capped by back-to-back-to-back treys by senior D.J. Weaver and freshman Isaiah Alston. Weaver, in fact, finished with a game-high 26 points on the night, knocking down 6-of-7 attempts from behind the arc.
Devontae Williams joined Weaver in double-figures with 10 points, while fellow seniors Brandon Brown and Shannon Huff added nine points and nine rebounds, respectively. Alston and sophomore Dante Battle chipped in eight points apiece, while senior Jesse Simpson dished out six assists.
As a team, Wesleyan shot over 48 percent from the floor (35-for-72) and 40 percent from downtown (10-for-25). The Bishops out-rebounded the Mustangs 45-38 on the night and forced 28 turnovers, led by four steals each by Adrian Moore and John Edwards.
The 27th-Annual Roger Taylor Invitational tips off on Friday night with Greensboro College facing Columbia International University at 6:00pm, which will be followed by NCWC and Maryland Bible at 8:00pm. Sunday's action features the Pride and MBC in a 1:00pm tilt, while Wesleyan wraps up play versus CIU at 3:00pm.
The classic-style tournament is named for Wesleyan's first All-American, Roger Taylor. Taylor is an inaugural NCWC Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and a 2011 inductee into the USA South Hall of Fame. An active member of Wesleyan's Board of Trustees, he is generous supporter of Bishop Athletics and the College, as well as the Rocky Mount community.
To read more about Mr. Taylor, please view his Hall of Fame bio by clicking here.