Hawks start strong but come up short against Battling Bishops

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon men's basketball team set the tone early but couldn't hold off North Carolina Wesleyan in a 77-74 loss on Saturday.

The Hawks jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first seven minutes of the game and led by as many as 13 points in the first four minutes of the second half. But the Battling Bishops answered and eased ahead for good in the final five minutes of the game.

Trailing by five points in the final 30 seconds of the game, Huntingdon cut the Battling Bishops' lead to three points twice but could not regain the lead.

This was the Hawks' 10^th game of the season, and the sixth straight game, to be decided by five points or less.

Huntingdon started strong in each half. The Hawks scored the first eight points of the game and led 19-5 with 13:18 left in the first half. North Carolina Wesleyan chipped away at the lead and pulled within two points, 33-31, with 4:09 left in the opening half.

Huntingdon led 43-40 at halftime and opened the second half with a 10-0 run to take a 53-40 lead with 16:39 left in the game. But from there, the Battling Bishops began to gain on the Hawks. Neither team would lead by more than five points in the final 13:30 of the game.

North Carolina Wesleyan took its first lead of the second half, 60-59, with 10:31 remaining. Huntingdon regained the lead and led until the final five minutes before the Battling Bishops took the lead for good with 4:21 to play.

Damien Madison led Huntingdon with 18 points and Aaron Washington was 4-for-6 from 3-point range and finished with 14 points. James Harris had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists and Logan Goree had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mykel Woods finished with eight rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

Records: Huntingdon (7-8, 4-4 USA South); N.C. Wesleyan (7-9, 3-5 USA South)

Coming Up: Huntingdon hosts Berea on Sunday at 1 p.m.