Kingsport Reporter

Michael Mays scored 34 points Monday night and Brandon Lamberth picked up a double-double, but it wasn't enough for the King University men's basketball team, who were unable to come back from a 22-point deficit in a 104-90 defeat to rival Lees-McRae.

THE BASICS

FINAL: Lees-McRae 104, King 90

LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.

RECORDS: King 6-18, 5-12 Conference Carolinas; Lees-McRae 11-14, 7-10 Conference Carolinas

HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half

• It was a flurry of three-point shots early, with the Bobcats coming away with the 8-3 advantage just over a minute into the game.
• Mays hit a driving layup to bring King to within 8-5 with 18:04 remaining.
• King eventually got to within 18-16 after a pair of Jaylen Bernard free throws, but the Bobcats would go on a 26-6 run over the next five minutes, going ahead 44-22.
• The Tornado started to gain ground back in the final stages of the half, going on a 12-7 run over the final four minutes to cut the halftime lead to 61-40, with Mays knocking down a pair of free throws in the closing seconds.

Second Half

• Mays came out of the locker room and proceeded to score the first five points of the half for the Tornado, trimming the Bobcats lead to 62-45.
• Darron Howard hit a hook shot with 17:09 left to kickstart what would turn out to be six consecutive tornado points, highlighted by Josh Jackson hitting back-to-back layups to make the score 66-53 with 16:23 remaining.
• King would again go on a mini-run, scoring six straight points, with Howard hitting a three and Mays adding a pair of free throws, cutting the advantage to 77-65.
• Lamberth would hit a hook shot with 6:49 left to bring the Tornado to within single digits, but the Bobcats would quickly respond and push their lead back to double digits with just over five minutes to play.
• The Bobcats would put the game away in the closing minutes, thanks in part to going 6-of-7 from the free throw line to secure the 104-90 win.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The 34 points for Mays marks not only the fifth time this season he has scored 30+ points, but it is the second time he has done so this season against the Bobcats, having scored a career-high 38 in the last meeting back in November in Banner Elk, N.C.
• Lamberth finished with 16 points, while Howard had 12 and Henry Okoye scored 10. Lamberth and Jackson also both pulled 10 rebounds on the night.
• This was the third career double-double for Lamberth, and his first of the season.
• As a team, the Tornado had a season-high 12 steals, with Jackson contributing a career-best five on the night.

FOR THE FOES

• Timon Jones led the Bobcats offense, scoring 19 points, He was one of six players to score in double figures for Lees-McRae.
• Drew Gardner and Sidney Dollar both pulled seven rebounds for the Bobcats, with Brandon Brown dishing out five assists.

UP NEXT

• The Tornado will host Converse on Wednesday night, with tipoff from the Student Center scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
• Lees-McRae will play at Southern Wesleyan Wednesday night.

Original source can be found here