Brevard, N.C. ? The Brevard College Men?s Basketball Team (9-3, 3-0) held a huge rebounding edge in defeating Lenoir-Rhyne University (3-10, 1-2), 77-68, Wednesday night in a South Atlantic Conference contest at Boshamer Gymnasium.

Josh Roper (Charlotte, N.C.) finished with a team-high 21 points while Sam Carlisle (Raleigh, N.C.) added 18 points and 11 rebounds as the Tornados pulled down 46 rebounds compared to the Bears? 11 boards.

Junior forward D.J. Blackmon (Albemarle, N.C.) tallied a game-high 25 points and six steals in the losing effort for Lenoir-Rhyne.

After a taking a 36-34 lead into halftime, Brevard would push its advantage to 17 points with a pair of free throws by Roper for a 61-44 advantage with 10:43 left.

However, Lenoir-Rhyne rallied with a 14-2 run over the next five-and-a-half minutes to cut the margin to 63-58 on a free throw by senior guard Marcus Hodges (Wake Forest, N.C.) but that is as close as the Bears would get.

Brevard responded with five straight points to push the lead back to double digits (68-58) and would remain in control the rest of the way.

Jonathan Whitson (Clyde, N.C.) added 18 points for Brevard, who shot 59 percent (26-of-44) for the game.

Lenoir-Rhyne sophomore forward Jeff Thomas (Efland, N.C.) and Hodges also scored in double figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Lenoir-Rhyne travels to Newberry, S.C., to face Newberry in a league contest on Saturday beginning at 4 p.m.