Hickory, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Basketball Team (4-5, 3-2) pulled out an 84-71 win over Tusculum (4-4, 2-2) Wednesday night at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium in a South Atlantic Conference contest.

Five players scored in double figures for the Bears – led by senior guard Jalen Variste (Baton Rouge, La.) with a game-high 19 points – as Lenoir-Rhyne won its second straight game.

Junior guard Reed Lucas (Greensboro, N.C.) added 17 points for the Bears, who led by as many as 19 points – 67-48 with seven minutes left – on their way to the win.

Chase Mounce (Elkin, N.C.) scored a team-high 17 points and Kendall Patterson (Burlington, N.C.) added 16 points for the Pioneers, who lost their third consecutive contest.

Lenoir-Rhyne led the entire contest and received 15 points and three treys off the bench from junior guard Jarvis Calhoun (Birmingham, Ala.).

The Bears also hit nine three-pointers as a team and shot 59 percent (13-of-22) in the decisive second half.

In the next round of South Atlantic Conference games on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., Lenoir-Rhyne hosts Carson-Newman at Shuford Gymnasium while Tusculum returns home to face Coker.