Brown's Double-Double Helps Elevate Eagles to Second Win in a Row!

Dayton, TN - Reinhardt Men's Basketball has its first winning streak of the season by beating the Lions of Bryan College on the road in Tennessee on Wednesday evening, 67-61.  Derrick Brown, who has been playing tremendous ball as of late, led the Eagles by pulling down 16 boards and scoring 14 points.  It extends the win streak to two games as the Eagles get into the thick of the AAC schedule the rest of the way.

The first half started strong for the Eagles, as Brown scored the opening basket with a jumper at 18:11. The momentum continued when Tee Williams sank a 3-pointer at 17:38, contributing to an early 5-point lead. Williams' shot, assisted by AJ Shaw, was part of a scoring flurry that saw Reinhardt extend their lead to 12 points during the quarter. However, the Eagles were not able to get a solid lead until about halfway through the first half. Consistent scoring in the final ten minutes helped the Eagles finish the first period ahead, 34-27. The Eagles would not relinquish their lead for the remainder of the game.

The second period saw Reinhardt sustaining their rigorous defense with Brown notably blocking an opponent's layup attempt at 13:12. Williams added to his impressive performance with a jumper and a free throw at 16:59, heightening the Eagles' lead. Contributions also came from Arael Jones, who bolstered the score further with a jumper at 17:20. The Lions were able to pull within six points in the final five minutes, but the Eagles held strong, not allowing the comeback by the home team.

Williams emerged as a top scorer, scoring a total of 17 points and pulling down 8 rebounds. However, it was the play of Brown on both ends of the floor that helped the Eagles get the third AAC win of the season. Not only did he help Williams in the scoring column, but he was a force on the boards and the defensive end, with 2 steals and crucial blocks. These efforts were instrumental in maintaining the Eagles' lead throughout the game. The victory shifts Reinhardt's season forward positively, showcasing their strengths in rebounding and fast-break plays.

Jackson Sousa led the team with 5 assists, followed closely by Shaw with 4 assists.

Although the Eagles shot only 50% from the free-throw line, they did enough in the scoring column to pull out the important win. Reinhardt continues to struggle from the three-point line, shooting less than 30%, but in their last few games, the Eagles have been shooting close to 50% from the field. Although Bryan is an AAC opponent, this game does not count toward the overall conference record because of the closing of St. Andrews University last spring.  The remaining AAC games will count towards the conference standings.

Looking ahead, the Eagles will travel to Columbia, South Carolina, this Saturday to face Columbia College, aiming to add another win and move up the AAC standings.