GAFFNEY, S.C.  – The Limestone College men's basketball team completed the South Atlantic Conference/Conference Carolinas Challenge with a 2-0 record as the Saints defeated non-conference opponent Mars Hill University, 106-92, on Saturday evening at the Timken Center.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 106, Mars Hill 92       
Records: Limestone (2-0), Mars Hill (0-2)  
Location: Timken Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Junior guard Kenny Hairston (Charlotte, N.C.) led the Saints with a new career-high 24 points.
• Redshirt-freshman guard Jaquan Simms (Covington, Ga.) recorded 17 points.
• Redshirt-junior guard T.J. Sheppard (North Augusta, S.C.) tallied 16 points.
• Senior guards Montrel Goldston (Greensboro, N.C.) and Walter Cole (Atlanta, Ga.) scored 14 points each.
• Redshirt-senior forward Donovan Harris (Burlington, N.C.) paced the Saints with nine rebounds.
• Limestone shot 53.4 percent from the field (39-of-73) and 60.0 percent from the free-throw line (15-of-25).

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Half
For the second consecutive game, the Saints put the first two points on the scoreboard to go out ahead early, 2-0. Limestone continued to make space and after a series of eight consecutive points, widened the gap to 19-10. Mars Hill started to chip away at the Limestone lead with a 10-1 run to get within one point, 21-20 at the 11:03 minute mark.
 
Limestone used the next several minutes to build its first double-digit lead of the game, 40-30, with 6:24 left in the half. The Saints continued to remain in control as Limestone only gave up the double-digit advantage once at 44-35 before cruising to a 59-41 lead at the break.
 
Second Half
Coming out of halftime, the Saints continued an eight-point scoring run to expand the difference, 64-41. The Lions kept chipping away at the deficit and got within 12 points on two occasions, the last time coming at 79-67 with 10:50 left in regulation.
 
Limestone quickly snuffed out any rallies from the Lions with 10 consecutive points on its next possession, 89-67. In the final minutes of the period, the Saints put the game on cruise control as Limestone finalized the 106-92 victory in favor of the home team.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Over the past four years of the South Atlantic Conference/Conference Carolinas Challenge, this year is the first year the Saints have gone 2-0.
• The Saints last scored 100 points or more on March 11, 2017 against University of North Carolina Pembroke.
• Freshmen guards Quez Clayton (Ocala, Fla.) and Noah Jenkins (Columbia, S.C.) made their first appearances as a Saint.

 
UP NEXT
The Saints will return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 15 against Anderson (S.C.) University. The non-conference game is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. in Anderson, S.C.