MOUNT OLIVE — A challenging first half proved difficult to overcome for the University of Mount Olive men’s basketball team, as the Trojans dropped an 84–65 decision to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday night at Kornegay Arena.
UNC Pembroke established momentum early with efficient shooting and fast-paced transition offense, building a 42–25 lead by halftime despite Mount Olive generating quality scoring looks.
The Trojans regrouped after the break and delivered a much-improved second-half performance. Mount Olive shot 41.9 percent from the field over the final 20 minutes and outscored the Braves 40–42 during that stretch. The deficit was trimmed to as few as 12 points midway through the half, but UNC Pembroke answered with timely baskets to maintain control.
Jefferson McLamb led Mount Olive with 15 points, while Matt Kirby added 13 points and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Christian Ananaba also reached double figures with 10 points. The Trojans were efficient at the free-throw line, converting 83.3 percent of their attempts, and received a strong contribution from the bench with 30 points, matching UNC Pembroke’s reserve output.
Defensively, Mount Olive forced 15 turnovers and turned those into 18 fast-break points, providing sparks throughout the contest.
The Trojans will look to carry their second-half momentum into their next outing, a rescheduled road matchup against Southern Wesleyan on Friday at 4 p.m. in Central, South Carolina.
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