Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
NEWBERRY — In their first home game of the year, the Newberry College men’s basketball team (4-2, 0-0 SAC) took down RV Lander University Bearcats on Tuesday, Nov. 22, winning 65-57.
Senior QuanDaveon McCollum (Clio) picked up right where he left off, leading the Wolves with 18 points, while grabbing five rebounds. Also having a good night on the glass, both sophomore Malakhi Stremlow (Traverse City, Mich.) and freshman Drake Downs (Simpsonville) each collected eight rebounds, with Stremlow scoring 10 points and Downs having 11.
Stremlow got the game started knocking down a jumper before the Bearcats knocked down three straight three-pointers to jump out to a 9-2 lead just two minutes in. Downs helped lead the Wolves back in it before the back-and-forth battle began with 13:40 left in the first half. McCollum hit a three pointer to give the Wolves the lead two minutes left in the half, but the Bearcats responded quickly and went into the half, leading 29-26.
The Bearcats stayed hot out of halftime, having a nine-point lead five minutes. Three-point shooting from senior TJ Brown (Columbia) helped sparked the comeback as his three pointer with 10:22 left in the game would be the last time they would be down in the game. Lander kept battling to retake the lead, but free throws from McCollum and freshman Caleb Byrd (Mauldin) helped seal the victory for the Wolves.