ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The NC Wesleyan College men's basketball team pulled out an 89-73 matinee win over conference foe Maryville College (TN) on Tuesday afternoon with a big second half. They played in front of 300 excited elementary students on Education Day in Everett Gymnasium.
After trailing 42-37 at halftime on Tuesday, the Battling Bishops came storming back by scoring 52 points in the second half on 59 percent shooting to run past the Scots for their 4th win of the season. Wesleyan outscored Maryville 52-31 over the final 20 minutes led by big scoring days from guards Damon McDowell and freshman Garrett Phillips.
McDowell finished with 24 points on 10 of 13 shooting including 4 rebounds and steal while Phillips made 4 of 8 three-pointers as he finished with 17 points. Wesleyan shot 52 percent for the game while holding Maryville to just 5 threes and 25 percent from behind the arc for the game overall.
Senior forward Mitch Layton also posted a strong game scoring 11 points and bringing down 10 rebounds to post his first double-double of the season while he added 4 assists and a steal as well. Fellow senior forward, A.J. Frye came back with a big second half himself scoring 12 points after struggling in the first half. Frye also added 5 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block.
Junior point guard Josh Covington led the Bishops in assists with 8 and steals with 3 along with his 5 points while freshman guard Tim Pettiford also scored 7 points with 7 rebounds in the win.
Wesleyan improves to 4-4 on the season and 1-1 in the USA South while dropping Maryville to 0-8 and 0-3 in the conference.
The Bishops will now enjoy some time off until they head to Brooklyn, NY for the Medgar Evers Holiday tournament on Dec. 28-29. Wesleyan will first tangle with SUNY-Oneonta on Dec. 28 at 2:00 PM at Medgar Evers College. They will then play the following day in either the championship or consolation game.