BANNER ELK - Mount Olive earned a hard-fought road victory on Saturday afternoon, holding off Lees-McRae for an 87–85 win inside Williams Gymnasium.
UMO shot an efficient 55.4 percent from the field and an impressive 75.0 percent from three-point range, using balanced scoring and consistent pressure in the paint to counter a strong shooting night from the Bobcats. Mount Olive scored 44 points in the paint and added 14 fast-break points, turning stops into timely offense throughout the contest.
Shane Peterson led the Trojans with a game-high 18 points, knocking down all four of his three-point attempts and going a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line. Jaevian Alston added 16 points and a team-high 10 rebounds for a double-double performance, while Matt Kirby chipped in 12 points and eight assists to help orchestrate the offense.
Mount Olive carried a slim 40–37 lead into halftime after shooting better than 55 percent in the opening half. The Trojans maintained that efficiency in the second half, answering every Lees-McRae run and leaning on depth as the bench accounted for 27 points.
With just over five minutes remaining and the Trojans trailing by six, Matt Kirby sparked the comeback by drawing a shooting foul and calmly converting both free throws. On the ensuing possession, Kirby found Shane Peterson for a three-pointer, pulling Mount Olive within two at 78–76.
Peterson continued the rally moments later, drawing a foul beyond the arc and knocking down all three free throws to cut the deficit to 81–79. On the next defensive stand,
Christopher Brown came away with a steal, setting up Kirby to connect with Peterson on a fast-break three-pointer that gave the Trojans their first lead of the half, 82–81.
After Lees-McRae answered with a pair of free throws to tie the game at 83 with 1:10 remaining, Dante Kiesenhofer drew a shooting foul at the rim and converted one of two at the line to put UMO back in front, 84–83. The Bobcats responded quickly, reclaiming the lead on a floater in the lane with 32 seconds left..
Jaevian Alston then drew a foul on the ensuing possession and delivered at the line, knocking down both free throws with 18 seconds remaining to give Mount Olive an 86–85 advantage.
Lees-McRae looked to answer on the final possession, running a screen-and-roll action that freed Ira Wilson for a potential game-winning layup. However, Brown rotated over for a clutch block on the left side of the rim, and Alston secured the rebound to seal the outcome.
Alston added a final free throw in the closing second as the Trojans closed out a dramatic 87–85 road victory.
The Trojans return home to face Belmont Abbey on Monday at 5 p.m. and UNC Pembroke on Wednesday at 7 pm.
