HICKORY, N.C. – For the third time in their last four games, the Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Basketball Team dropped a one possession game as Newberry erased a 23-point deficit to win by one in the final game of 2021.

GAME INFORMATION:
Final: Newberry 66, Lenoir-Rhyne 65
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (3-8, 2-6 SAC) I Newberry (6-6, 6-4 SAC)
Location: Shuford Gymnasium

STATS AND INFO:
- The Bears held a 37-15 lead with 3:15 in the first half and led by as many as 20 in the second half
- LR drops to 22-7 against Newberry inside Shuford Gym
- This is the second straight 1-point loss to the Wolves inside the Shu as LR dropped a 73-72 decision on Jan. 11
- The Bears last five overall losses to Newberry have been by a combined 10 points

FIRST HALF:
- LR came out of the gates on fire and scored the first 15 points of the contest
- Midway through the opening half, the Bears held Newberry to just seven points and led 25-7
- A bucket by Johnson gave the Bears a 22 point advantage that would get trimmed to 39-22 at the break
- Newberry shot just 34.5 percent in the first half and went 1-of-10 from deep
- T.J. Nesmith was a perfect 5-for-5 and had a game high 10 points in the first half as LR shot 56.7 percent and only turned the ball over three times

SECOND HALF:
- Newberry used an extended 13-0 run over 4:44 to cut the LR lead to 47-44
- Kevin Kangu's layup ended a 7:32 drought for LR without a field goal
- Newberry finally drew even with 4:40 to play as Sherman Robinson's pair of free throws made the score 57-57
- On their ensuing possession, Newberry hit a three to take their first lead of the game at the 4:19 mark
- A Salle Wilson bucket made it 64-63 Newberry but T.J. Brown answered with 1:02 to put the Wolves back up three
- Nesmith hit a pair of free throws to make it 66-65 with 49 seconds to play
- A Newberry turnover gave LR the ball with 29 seconds but the Bears would misfire on their possession
- Newberry left the door open by missing the front end of a 1-and-1 with eight seconds but the Bears missed at the buzzer to drop a sixth straight contest

ABOUT THE BEARS:
- Nesmith led LR with 17 points and had a career-high eight boards
- Jalen Johnson and Wilson each had 11 and Wilson added six rebounds while Johnson dished out five assists
- Kangu had 10 points and Malik LeGania had eight points, four boards and three assists

NOTABLE WOLVES:
- Brown had 16 of his 19 points in the second half to spark the comeback
- Malakhi Stremlow had a game-high 20 points and went 8-of-12 shooting
- PG Marcus Ford had eight points and three assists but hit some big shots down the stretch

UP NEXT: The Bears return on New Year's Day with a SAC game against Lincoln Memorial at 4 p.m.