BREVARD, N.C. - Junior Shelby Parris (Burlington, N.J.) finished with a game-high 27 points and an impressive 16-16 mark from the free throw line as the Brevard College Tornados (2-21, 0-17 SAC) fell by a final of 81-68 to the Mars Hill Lions (5-18, 3-14 SAC) Wednesday evening in South Atlantic Conference action.
Parris would finish the contest 5-12 from the field with four rebounds and one steal in 37 minutes of play. Freshman Levi Lamb (Atlanta, Ga.) posted 10 points, while senior Harry Singh (Hanover Park, Ill.) turned in a impressive showing, dishing out a game-best five assists and blocking three shots, while adding four points and four rebounds in 33 minutes.
Mars Hill's Justin Hartfield finished with 20 points, shooting 2-3 from behind the three-point arc and 12-13 from the free throw line. Additionally, the Lions Dotson Griffin finished with 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while also picking up two steals.
Mars Hill scored the first five points of the evening, before Singh managed to drive the lane, putting off shot off the backboard and into the Tornados net. However, the lines would open a 11-4 deficit to begin the night, before Parris struck for his only triple of the night to cut the lead to 11-7.
Brevard pulled within two on a Stevie Williams (High Points, N.C.) layup and again on two Singh free throws, but Mars Hill benefit from a 22-7 run, to take a 35-18 lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the first half.
The Tornados would cut the Lions lead to 12 with 4:16 remaining and again with 1:32, eventually pulling within 11-points with 28 seconds left in the opening frame on a jumper by Parris. However, Mars Hill would take a 49-37 advantage into halftime after controlling a 24-14 edge on points in the paint.
Coming out of the break, Brevard would pull within four points of the Lions at 12:19 and again at 9:46, however, Mars Hill used a 17-2 run over the course of eight minutes to take a 77-58 lead with 2:15 remaining in regulation.
Brevard would close out the game on a 10-4 run, but were unable to overcome an eight-minute lapse, falling 81-68 to the Lions.
The Tornados are set to return back to play this coming weekend as they host the Wingate University Bulldogs at 4 p.m. from Boshamer Gymnasium.
