FRANKLIN SPRING, Ga. (Jan. 14) – The University of Mount Olive men's basketball team was unable to overcome a slow start in a 93-61 loss at Emmanuel in Conference Carolinas play on Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, the Trojans suffer their third-consecutive loss and fall to 4-12 this season behind a 2-6 mark in conference action. Mount Olive will look to bounce back next week when they host a pair of home games before hitting the road for a weekend conference game. Meanwhile, the Lions improve to 9-7 overall with a 5-3 record in league play.

Senior Michael Brown produced a team-high 12 points on 4-of-10 shooting while adding three rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 30 minutes. Freshman Shane Peterson returned to the starting lineup and delivered 11 points in 27 minutes of action. Senior Kaeleb Carter finished with 10 points in 18 minutes, while teammate Trayvon Ferrell registered seven points and four rebounds in 15 minutes.

UMO scored the initial basket of the game following a three-pointer from Brown, but the Lions made five-of-six shots over the next four minutes to establish a 15-9 lead. The Trojans cut the deficit to 20-15 with 13:04 left in the half after back-to-back threes from Peterson and Carter. Following a media timeout, Emmanuel went on a 12-0 run and forced Mount Olive into three turnovers to take a 32-15 advantage. Both teams converted five field goals over the final six-plus minutes of the first half, as the Lions held a 45-29 lead at the break.

In the second half, each team knocked down a three-pointer in the opening two minutes before both sides exchanged points, as the Lions remained ahead by a 52-35 margin. Emmanuel mounted a 9-0 run over the next two minutes to extend the advantage to 61-35 with 14:31 remaining. UMO scored seven of the following eight points to cut into the deficit, but the Lions kept pace to hold their comfortable lead. With 8:07 left, Emmanuel totaled seven-straight points to stretch the advantage to 79-49 before both teams traded points over the final five-plus minutes.

UMO finished the contest shooting 35.7 percent (20-of-56) from the floor while converting 11-of-30 (36.7 percent) from three-point range. Meanwhile, Emmanuel posted a .615 field goal percentage (32-of-52) and made 12-of-27 (44.4 percent) from beyond the arc. The Lions held a 25-24 rebounding advantage with 38 points in the paint, while the Trojans totaled 16 second-chance points.

Junior KJ Jones II made his return to the lineup and led all players with 19 points while adding six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block in 32 minutes. Sophomore Tavarus Webb registered 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting with six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 33 minutes. Fellow sophomore Jasper Gibson tallied 17 points, while the Lions featured two additional players in double-figures.

Mount Olive returns to the court on Monday, Jan. 16, when they host Converse in conference action on Parks & Rec Day in Kornegay Arena, starting at 4 p.m.