January 19, 2008
Contact: Leah Melichar
Limestone College Sports Information
Phone: 864-488-8219
lmelichar@limestone.edu

LIMESTONE LOSES HEARTBREAKER TO MOUNT OLIVE

GAFFNEY, S.C.— The Limestone College men’s basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 90-84 loss to Mount Olive on Saturday night at the Timken Center. Limestone stands at 0-7 in Conference Carolinas play (2-10 overall) as the Trojans climb to 7-1 in the league (11-3 overall).

Andre Coleman (Clermont, Fla.) led Limestone with 24 points and 7 assists. Marques Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) added 21 more, and Shawn Creal (Spartanburg, S.C.) scored 11. Kenny White (Columbia, S.C.) added 10. Andrae Franklin (Fort Pierce, Fla.) had a game-high six rebounds.

Kendrick Easley (Norfolk, Va.) led his team’s attack with 34 points, as Brandon Streeter (Jacksonville, N.C.) chipped in 14 and Josh Brown (Upper Marlboro, Md.) scored 10.

Mount Olive jumped out to a 16-point lead at the start of the game, but Limestone fought back and only trailed 9 points (49-40) at halftime. The Saints shot 69.2% in 3-pointers during the first period, sinking 9 of their 13 attempts.

The Trojans began the second half with an 11-point lead, but after 2 minutes Limestone started to close the gap. The Saints didn’t trail in double digits for the rest of the second half, and took a brief 73-71 lead from a 3-pointer by White with six minutes left to play. However, Streeter got a layup to tie the game and two free-throws by Brown gave the Trojans the advantage. Mount Olive would not trail for the remainder of the game.

Limestone managed to tie the score two more times before the contest was over: once at the 4:47 mark and once with 2:50 remaining (80-80). Easley sank two straight layups for the 84-80 advantage, and Williams made two free-throws to put Limestone within striking distance, 82-84. However, the Trojans got a field goal from Brown and two free-throws from Justin Melton (Yorktown, Va.) to put the score at 88-82. Williams sank two-free throws with 14 seconds remaining, but Easley sealed the win for Mount Olive with 2 free-throws with only 8 seconds left to play.

Mount Olive, one of the best rebounding teams in the league, was out-rebounded by Limestone 28-27. The Saints had 13 second chance points to the visitors’ 8. The Saints were 58.3% in 3-pointers (14-24) compared to Mount Olive’s 53.3% (8-15). Mount Olive held the edge on field goal percentage, going 55.4% (31-56) to the Saints’ 55.1 (27-49).

Limestone travels to Laurinburg, N.C., on January 21 to play St. Andrews at 7:30 p.m. The Trojans will host Belmont Abbey on January 21 at the Kornegay Arena in Mount Olive, N.C., at 4 p.m.

-LIMESTONE-