Murfreesboro, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Basketball Team (5-6) stepped out of league play and suffered a 79-67 loss to Chowan (8-2) Friday night at the Helms Center.
Chowan's Jeremy Smith (Kenansville, N.C.) came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points while Kevin Kuteyi (Lanham, Md.) added 15 points for the Hawks, who won their fourth straight game.

Lenoir-Rhyne was led by senior guard Darrion Evans (Morganton, N.C.) with a team-high 15 points while junior guard Reed Lucas (Greensboro, N.C.) added 14 points and hit four treys but the Bears suffered their second loss to the Hawks this year.

Chowan defeated Lenoir-Rhyne at Shuford Memorial Gymnasium by a 78-76 score on Sunday, November 27, in Hickory, N.C.

Chowan, which led by a 37-27 score at halftime, held the advantage the rest of the way.   The Hawks shot 55 percent (29-of-53) from the field and held a 30-22 edge in rebounding.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior guard Jalen Variste (Baton Rouge, La.) added 13 points and junior guard Billy Bales (Elizabethton, Tenn.) hit three treys and scored 10 points off the bench despite the loss.  The Bears also saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.

Lenoir-Rhyne returns to South Atlantic Conference play this Wednesday, January 4, when the Bears host Newberry beginning at 8:00 p.m.  Chowan plays Johnson C. Smith in a CIAA game on Thursday, January 5, in Charlotte, N.C., at 7:30 p.m.