Winchester, VA - Shenandoah University continued its strong start to the 2007-08 USA South Conference men's basketball season with an 81-72 victory over visiting North Carolina Wesleyan Saturday afternoon.  The Hornets (12-3, 2-0) erased a 10-point second half deficit with just over 11 minutes left to steal the victory.  The Bishops are now 7-6 overall, 0-1 in league play.

Down 54-44 after Trey Drake drained one of his seven three-pointers for NCWC, SU ran off an 11-4 run to find itself down 58-55 with 7:37 remaining.  It took another 2:16, but the hosts finally took a lead they would not relinquish when freshman Brandon Bryan nailed a 25-footer to give the Hornets a 63-62 lead.

Bryan's bomb electrified both the crowd and his teammates, and SU sealed the victory with a 7-0 run that made it 71-64 in favor of the Hornets with 1:24 left.

Wesleyan began to foul, and Shenandoah scored its final 10 points from the line as the Bishops kept things interesting by getting a pair of Drake three-pointers and an Adam Coleman jumper.

Jeremiah Lawrence and Stevie Johns led the Hornets with 21 points apiece with Lawrence grabbing 14 rebounds.  Freshman Nick Brown rounded out the double-digit scorers with 15 points.

Drake led all scorers with 25 points, while Lenny Hall added 21 before fouling out in the final minute.  Adam Coleman turned in a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.

Shenandoah out-rebounded the Bishops 43-31, including 29-9 on Wesleyan's offensive end.

Wesleyan returns to action at home on Tuesday night when the Bishops host Christopher Newport University.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Everett Gymnasium.
 

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