MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan Men's Basketball team posted four players in double-figures to fight off the shorthanded Warriors in a 77-63 Conference Carolinas victory at home on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS

FINAL | Chowan 77, Southern Wesleyan 63

RECORDS | Chowan 8-6 (6-3), Southern Wesleyan 2-15 (2-7)

LOCATION | Murfreesboro, N.C. (Hawks Athletic Center)

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

Preston Le Gassick posted a career-high 17 points on 5-8 shooting from deep to lead the scoring.  Isaac Hippolyte collected a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.  Christian Koonce chipped in with 12 points, while Jay Estime added 11.

Cheick Traore and RJ Wilson hauled in 10 rebounds each.

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half:

Chowan took advantage of the Southern Wesleyan misfortune early as Jay Estime knocked down a pair of three-pointers.  Daylan Askew added a jumper to lead 8-0 early.  Skyler Davies posted a jumper in transition and Preston Le Gassick hit a triple to lead 13-2 before the Warriors ended their 0-12 drought from the floor.

SWU went on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to one, 13-12, before Jay Estime hit a pull-up jumper.  Donavon Martin added a layup as the Warriors took an 18-17 lead.  Preston Le Gassick connected from deep to hand the lead back to the Hawks.  The triple sparked a run to end the half as Isaac Hippolyte added a layup and Cheick Traore finished off the half with an emphatic dunk to lead 28-18.

Second Half:

Jay Estime, Daylan Askew, and Christian Koonce started the scoring in the half with triples.  Isaac Hippolyte added a jumper to lead 40-24.  Preston Le Gassick connected from deep twice to maintain the advantage.

Christian Koonce helped build the lead with a three-point play and a three-pointer in between a pair of freebies by Isaac Hippolyte, 56-38.  Koonce, Hippolyte, and Daylan Askew pushed the lead to its largest, 22, 62-40, with points in the paint.

The Warriors went on an 8-2 run to cut into the deficit as Donavon Martin added a pair of jumpers.  Cheick Traore used a jumper in the paint to end the run.  Preston Le Gassick and Skyler Davies added free throws to offset the late run by SWU.

Skyler Davies posted a three-point play before RJ Wilson cleaned up the glass with a putback dunk to end the contest.

UP NEXT

Chowan hits the road for an important Conference Carolinas showdown against Belmont Abbey on Monday, January 16.  Tip-off is slated for 7pm.