MOUNT OLIVE (Nov.28) – Senior guard Michael Brown surpassed 1,000 career points behind a team-high 16 points on Monday night, as the Trojans fell by a 77-69 margin against Claflin at Kornegay Arena in non-conference action.

With the loss, the Trojans drop to 2-5 overall and hold a 1-2 mark this season against schools from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Meanwhile, the Panthers improve to 5-0 this year and picked up their third-straight road win.

Brown scored 16 points on 5-of-12 attempts, including five-of-seven from the free-throw line. He also added seven assists, two rebounds, and two steals while playing all 40 minutes. The Virginia native reached 1,000 career points on a layup in the final minute of the second half and has scored at least 275 points in the last three seasons with the program. Brown also continues to pace the conference with 50 assists this season through seven games.

Junior Derreco Miller registered a season-high with 14 points on six-of-eight shooting while adding four rebounds and two blocks in 31 minutes. Senior Trayvon Ferrell collected a double-double with 13 points on 5-of-13 from the field with 10 rebounds in 31 minutes, while senior Kaeleb Carter tallied 11 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench.

The Panthers established an early 11-8 advantage in the opening five minutes after converting five-of-nine from the floor. The Trojans answered with a three-pointer from Carter to tie the contest at 11-11 with 14:31 left in the first half. Mount Olive took the lead 20-17 after four players made baskets over the next three-plus minutes before Claflin countered with a short 6-2 run to reclaim the advantage, 23-22. UMO responded with a 13-6 rally behind a trio of three-pointers to take a 35-29 lead with 2:34 left in the half. The Panthers quickly closed the gap to 37-36 before Ferrell hit a pair of free-throws, as the Trojans held a 39-36 advantage at the break.

Claflin started the second half with an 18-2 run that lasted over five minutes to take a significant 54-41 lead after Mount Olive converted just one field goal during that stretch. UMO trimmed the deficit to 58-51 with 8:55 left, led by Miller with six points. The Panthers countered with six-straight points before the Trojans mounted a 10-4 run to cut the lead to 68-61 with just under two minutes left. Both sides traded buckets down the stretch, as Claflin secured the win 77-69 on Monday night.

UMO shot at a 41.0 clip (25-of-61) from the floor after going 12-of-14 (85.7 percent) from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, Claflin finished the game shooting 43.9 percent (29-of-66) and converted 17-of-23 (73.9 percent) from the free-throw line. The Panthers held a 44-33 rebounding advantage and scored 52 points in the paint. The Trojans finished with 18 points off the bench and 12 points off turnovers.

Claflin featured four players in double-figures, led by senior Isaiah Jennings with 14 points on six-of-seven shooting with seven rebounds in 15 minutes off the bench. Junior Jailen Williams totaled 11 points, three rebounds, and two steals in 24 minutes, while senior Shyim Cunningham and DaiJohn Stewart also finished with 11 points.

Mount Olive returns to action on Wednesday, Nov. 30, when it hosts Chowan in Conference Carolinas play in Kornegay Arena at 7 p.m.