Hickory, N.C. - The Shaw University Men's Basketball Team (3-1) defeated Lenoir-Rhyne University (1-4), 65-50, Wednesday evening at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium.

Raheem Smith (Greenville, N.C.) finished with a game-high 19 points for Shaw, who held Lenoir-Rhyne to just 36 percent shooting (22-for-61) for the contest including 0-for-12 from behind the three-point line.

Junior forward Jeff Thomas (Chapel Hill, N.C.) led?L-R with a team-high 12 points while sophomore forward Matt Kunz (Kernersville, N.C.) came off the bench to score 10 points despite the loss.

Lenoir-Rhyne held a 28-24 advantage late in the first half before Shaw put together a 16-0 run over both halves to take control.

Shaw led at halftime, 34-28, then scored the first six points of the second half to build a 40-28 advantage on a lay-up by Sheridan Price (Silver Spring, Md.) and never looked back.

Shaw's Tony Smith (Greenville, N.C.) added 10 points and a game-high seven assists as the visitors won their second straight game.

Lenoir-Rhyne opens South Atlantic Conference play on Saturday when it travels to Mars Hill, N.C., to face Mars Hill beginning at 4 p.m.? Shaw, meanwhile, also plays Mars Hill next on the road Tuesday at 7 p.m.