TIGERVILLE, S.C. — The University of Mount Olive men’s basketball team saw its season come to a dramatic end Sunday night, falling 95–94 to King University in the opening round of the 2026 Conference Carolinas Men’s Basketball Championship.
The Trojans entered the tournament as the No. 10 seed and squared off against the No. 9 Tornado in a first-round matchup hosted by North Greenville University, the championship’s No. 4 seed. The back-and-forth contest featured 10 lead changes and seven ties, with neither team holding a lead larger than 13 points.
Mount Olive trailed 49–46 at halftime before responding with a strong second-half performance, outscoring King 48–46 over the final 20 minutes. The Trojans shot an efficient 54.1 percent from the field, buried nine three-pointers, and went 19-of-27 from the free-throw line. They also held advantages in fast-break points (22–12) and second-chance points (15–9), applying constant pressure throughout the game.
Five Trojans finished in double figures, led by Raul Perez with 17 points off the bench. Matt Kirby added 16 points and six assists, while Jaevian Alston recorded 13 points and seven rebounds. Jefferson McLamb contributed 13 points, and Shane Peterson chipped in 12 points, five assists, and three steals.
In the closing seconds, Kirby gave Mount Olive a 94–92 edge with a layup with just nine seconds remaining. However, following a timeout, King’s Jalen Royster hit a contested three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Tornado to a one-point victory.
With the loss, the University of Mount Olive concludes the 2025–26 season with a 10–19 overall record and a 7–13 mark in Conference Carolinas play.
