It may have been Shaw's first game of the season, but the crowd and the players reacted with post-season intensity as the Bears held off numerous charges from visiting Mars Hill. Shaw broke out on top early in the game, taking an 11-4 lead with less than five minutes gone in the half. The Lions then made their first run of the night, outscoring the Bears 16-2 over the next five minutes and taking their own seven-point lead with 10:45 left in the half.
For the rest of the half, Shaw took control of the tempo and the ball. Raheem Smith scored 11 points in less than 10 minutes, while Jaylon Battle tossed in six of his own, giving the Bears a 35-29 lead going into the locker room at the half.
In the second, Shaw built their lead to as many as 11, and with 8:08 left, Jamaar Hosier hit a foul shot to give the Bears a ten-point lead. The Lions then reeled off six unanswered free throws to cut the lead to four, and eventually built a two-point lead with 1:33 left in the game.
Hosier hit a layup to tie the game at 73, then the Bears went to the free throw line five more times, hitting four, and kept the Lions off the scoreboard, to set the final score at 77-73.
In the second half alone, the teams attempted a combined 44 free throws with Shaw hitting 16-of-24 and Mars Hill converting 17-of-20.
Smith led the way for the Bears with a total of 26 points, while Tony Smith added another 12. Battle finished with 10. David Jones led the Bears with seven rebounds and Tony Smith paced the team with six assists.
MHC will host Lees-McRae College in their home opener Monday night. Tip-off in Stanford Arena is set for 7 p.m.
Visit mhclions.com for the latest news and info on Mars Hill College Athletics.
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