Belmont Abbey College

NEWBERRY, S.C. -- Myles Smith scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Belmont Abbey led wire-to-wire in a 93-81 victory over Newberry in the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Challenge Friday evening at Eleazer Arena.

The Crusaders improved to 2-0 on the season, while the Wolves fell to 0-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Smith led all scorers, shooting 6-for-11 from the field and 10-for-12 at the free-throw line. He also recorded three steals and two assists.
• Gabe Cerda added 15 points and five rebounds, while Jordan Patton finished with 13 points and four assists. Kani Rashied-Henry contributed five points, four rebounds, four blocks and two assists.
• Belmont Abbey set the tone early, opening the game with an 11-0 run. The Crusaders built a 20-point advantage in the first half and carried a 44-37 lead into the break.
• Newberry pulled within two points at 53-51 midway through the second half, but Belmont Abbey answered with a 13-1 stretch to regain control. The Crusaders extended the margin to 69-57 and later pushed the lead back to 17 points.
• Belmont Abbey shot 70.6 percent from the field in the second half, connecting on 12-of-17 attempts, and scored 49 points after halftime.
• For the game, the Crusaders finished 27-for-48 from the floor (56.3 percent) and scored 48 points in the paint. Belmont Abbey also held a 26-19 advantage in fast-break points and converted 36-of-50 free throws.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey concludes the SAC/CC Challenge on Saturday.
• The Crusaders face 18th-ranked Anderson in a contest scheduled for 4:30 p.m.