Newport News, VA - The Johnson & Wales Charlotte men's basketball team went 1-1 in a pair of games in the Hampton Roads region this weekend.
The Wildcats took on Regent University on Friday night and pulled away for an 80-62 win. The host Royals had the advantage early in the contest, and led 20-15 through the first ten minutes. JWU's offense began to click in the latter stages of the period, helping them build as large as a ten point advantage before settling for a 36-28 halftime lead.
JWU started the second half on a decisive 16-2 run over the first four and a half minutes that saw their lead balloon to 52-30. The Royals never got within 17 points of the Wildcats the rest of the way.
Five Wildcats scored in double figures, led by
Cameron Lawson's 17 points.
Jaben Mars had 16, while
Nathan Meshida added 11.
Ethan Smith and
Nantambu Calhoun each scored 10 points.
Jaylen Benson-Hollinhead pulled down 9 rebounds in addition to scoring 8 points.
Saturday brought a matchup against the USCAA's top ranked Division I team in Apprentice. The Builders used a 16-4 run in the middle of the first half to turn a two point lead into a fourteen point bulge at 29-15. JWU trimmed the lead to as few as eight twice in the period, but trailed by eleven at halftime, 42-31. Another Builder run, this time 11-4, over the first three minutes of the second half pushed their lead to 18 points. The Wildcats were not able to get closer than a dozen points the rest of the game, as Apprentice went on to win 84-65.
Lawson and Meshida each scored 18 points, as JWU shot just 38.5% from the field, their second lowest shooting percentage game of the season.
JWU next travels to Bristol, TN on Thursday, February 1st to take on King University. Game time is 6:00pm.
