PEMBROKE - The UNCP men's basketball team put six players in double figures and had all active members of their squad score at least two points in overpowering Johnson & Wales (N.C.) by a 131-49 final in nonconference basketball action on Sunday at the Jones Center in Pembroke.
The Braves jump out to a 1-0 record on the season with the victory and are now 2-1 in season openers under head coach Ben Miller while the Wildcats fall to 0-8 on the season with the loss.
The 82-point winning margin matches a Peach Belt Conference record previously held by Armstrong Atlantic who toppled Temple Baptist 125-43 on Nov. 9, 2008. The 131 points scored is a UNCP school record in a regulation game, but is two shy of the school record held by the 1988-89 squad who registered 133 in a triple overtime victory over Wingate (133-124). It is the most points scored by the Braves since joining the NCAA Division II ranks prior to the 1992-93 campaign.
The Braves scored the first points of the game 14 seconds into the contest, and never relinquished the lead in continuing to build their advantage throughout the game.
"I thought we played with a lot of energy and obviously we had success in putting up a lot of points. I liked that we had a lot of assists which showed we were playing unselfish," said UNCP head coach Ben Miller.
"I also want to thank the fans that came out today on a Sunday. Hopefully we can keep the excitement up with continued success. Johnson & Wales is a new program and they're struggling a little right now, but they'll improve and get better over time. We have a big challenge coming up on Tuesday with Belmont Abbey."
UNCP shot an astounding 70.7% from the floor as a squad (53 of 75), most of which came from a sizeable height advantage in registering 80 points in the paint. The Braves also turned 30 Wildcat turnovers into 47 points, and got a contribution of 58 points from their bench. UNCP also had their outside shooting working on the afternoon with an 8 of 13 effort from behind the 3-point line (61.5%).
Sophomore Shahmel Brackett led the UNCP scoring effort with 21 points in 21 minutes of action, including a string of seven points he scored in a matter of two seconds during the ninth minute of the first half. The reigning Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year didn't miss a shot in finishing 8 of 8 from the floor, including 1 of 1 from 3-point land, while also finishing 4 of 4 at the line. He added to his stat line by grabbing five rounds, collecting two steals and dishing out seven assists with zero turnovers.
Big sophomore George Blakeney used his size advantage to have a field day, finishing with a career-high 22 points on 10 of 14 shooting from the floor while also grabbing eight rebounds. The Tarboro native also blocked two shots in 19 minutes of action.
Junior Nate Priest also notched a career-high in points and recorded the first double-double of the season for the Braves with a 17-point, 10-rebound effort stemming from a 7 of 11 shooting output from the field. Priest also added one assist, one block and one steal in 15 minutes of action.
Senior Lamar Cross also recorded a career-high of his own with a 19-point performance behind a 7 of 9 effort from the floor, featuring a 5-6 mark from downtown, including a buzzer-beater from half court at the end of the first half.
Sophomore K.J. Cooper led the squad with nine of UNCP's 33 assists while also finishing 4 of 4 from the field in recording nine points on the afternoon.
UNCP will look to keep the offensive machine running on Tuesday when they battle intrastate rival Belmont Abbey in a nonconference tilt in Belmont.
