MOUNT OLIVE — The University of Mount Olive men’s basketball team turned in a dominant home performance Friday afternoon, rolling to a 97–67 victory over Erskine in Conference Carolinas action inside Kornegay Arena.
Mount Olive set the tone from the opening tip and never relinquished control, shooting an efficient 60 percent from the field while building a commanding 47–26 lead by halftime. Crisp ball movement and consistent pressure on both ends of the floor fueled a wire-to-wire win for the Trojans.
Matt Kirby led the way with 21 points on an impressive 7-of-9 shooting performance, including four three-pointers. He also added four rebounds and three assists. Jefferson McLamb provided a spark off the bench, matching Kirby with 21 points after drilling seven three-pointers in just 14 minutes of action.
Christian Ananaba added 18 points and six rebounds, while Jaevian Alston anchored the paint with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds to record a double-double.
The Trojans showed no signs of slowing down after the break, opening the second half with another offensive surge and extending their lead to as many as 31 points. Mount Olive shot better than 65 percent in the second half and capitalized in transition, finishing the afternoon with 16 fast-break points.
With the win, Mount Olive improved to 6–9 overall and 3–4 in Conference Carolinas play. The Trojans will look to carry that momentum into their next matchup against Lees-McRae on Saturday, Jan. 17, at 4 p.m. in Banner Elk, North Carolina.
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