Wesleyan Rolls Past WPU, Sets Sights on Roger Taylor Invitational

A.J. Frye
A.J. Frye

Raleigh, N.C. - N.C. Wesleyan's men's basketball team opened USA South play on Wednesday night in Raleigh with a 99-86 victory over William Peace University. The Bishops got a solid performance from sophomore A.J. Frye, who poured in a career-high 28 points with five assists and four rebounds.

Wesleyan forged a 56-40 lead at the break after shooting 55 percent from the floor as team (22-for-40), which included a 57 percent clip from behind the arc (8-for-14). Tied 36-36 with just under five minutes remaining in the period, NCWC closed out the half with a 20-4 run that featured a trio of three-pointers and seven points from freshman Damon McDowell off the bench. Frye led the Bishops with a team-high 14 points in the period, while senior Adrian Moore chipped in 13.

The Bishops went on to lead by as many as 21 in the second half, although the Pacers did get as close as 11 down the stretch. It would be too little too late, however, as Wesleyan secured the 13-point win.

Moore complimented Frye with 19 points, seven assists, and seven steals. McDowell completed a strong outing with a season-high 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Juniors Justin Tankelewicz and Chris Braswell rounded out NCWC's double-digit scorers with 15 and 12 points, respectively.

The Bishops will now take a 2-3 overall record into this weekend's 30th-Annual Roger Taylor Invitational. The two-day event tips off on Friday night with Greensboro College facing Virginia Wesleyan University at 6:00pm, which will be followed by NCWC and Columbia International University at 8:00pm. Saturday's action features the Pride and Rams in a 1:00pm tilt, while Wesleyan wraps up play versus the Marlins at 3:00pm. Live stats will be provided for all four contests.

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. A former 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.