HICKORY N.C. – The No. 24 Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team pummeled UNC Pembroke by a final score of 51-3 on Saturday afternoon and earned at least a share of the SAC Regular Season Championship thanks to a Carson-Newman loss to Tusculum. The Bears can clinch an outright championship with a win over the Eagles or Catawba in the final two weeks of the regular season. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 51, UNC Pembroke 3
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (8-1), UNCP (2-5)
Location: Hickory, N.C. | Moretz Stadium
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STATS OF THE GAME:
•   The Bears defense dominated UNCP and put 16 points on the board. Sherrod Williams and Eric Jackson each had interceptions returned for touchdowns and LR added a safety in the third quarter. The Braves managed a fourth-quarter field goal and were held to 62 yards rushing on the day. 
•    Sophomore QB Grayson Willingham threw a pair of touchdowns to give him 16 on the season. Willingham is now tied with Jack Huss for the fifth-most TD passes in a single season in program history and just three shy of breaking that record.  
 •   Junior Kyle Dugger broke the season record for most punt return yardage as he racked up 53 yards on two returns to give him 435 on the year. The previous mark of 432 was held by Michael Green. 
•    Dareke Young totaled 6 carries for 32 yards and found the end zone twice. Young has three rushing touchdowns and two receiving scores so far this season. 
•    Xzavion Huff added two touchdowns of his own in the rout. The RB scored on a 46-yard pass play and added a 6-yard run to give him six rushing TD's, two receiving TD's and a kickoff return for a score this season. 
•    In addition to his pick-six, Williams finished the game with seven tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. 
 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
•    The Bears exploded for 28 points in the first quarter, their highest scoring quarter of the season. In total, LR scored the first 51 points in the game before UNCP finally got on the board. 
•    The Bears have scored 30 or more points in every game this season and have rushed for multiple touchdowns in every contest this year.  
•    LR topped the 300-yard mark on the ground for the fifth time this season. The Bears ran for 335 yards, led by senior Kenny Carter with 66 yards on seven rushes.

UP NEXT:
LR will return to action on Saturday when they travel to Carson-Newman looking to lock up their first SAC Regular Season title since 2014. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.