Rocky Mount, N.C. - The men's basketball team of N.C. Wesleyan dropped its 2016-17 home opener on Tuesday night, falling victim to a hot-shooting Mary Washington squad by an 88-81 tally in Everett Gymnasium.
Clinging to a slim 42-40 halftime advantage, the Bishops were able to run their lead to double digits, 65-55, midway the period thanks to the hot hand of sophomore Justin Tankelewicz. Tankelewicz netted a trio of three-pointers during a key Bishop run, but UMW responded by out-scoring NCWC 15-5 over a three-minute span that tied the game at 70-70 with 7:33 remaining.
A bucket by the Eagle's Brent Mahoney at the 6:45 mark later gave the visitors a lead that they would not relinquish.
Tankelwicz led all scorers with a career-high 25 points and five treys. Fellow sophomore Chris Braswell added 18, while junior Adrian Moore notched 15 points, eight rebounds, seven steals, and five assists.
Eric Shaw led five Eagles in double-figures with 19 points. As a team, UMW shot nearly 60 percent from the floor on the night.
Wesleyan (1-2) continues play at home on Saturday when the Bishops host Roanoke College at 2:00pm.