BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College men's basketball team (13-12, 8-6 USA South) fell 70-54 to William Peace University (13-12, 8-6 USAS) on Saturday at Boshamer Gymnasium. 

The defeat sent the Tornados to the five-seed in the 2024 USA South Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, as the Tornados and Pacers will match up for a third time this season on Tuesday, February 20 at 7 p.m. in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

BC honored its four-member senior class of LB Boyette, Carson Evans, Charles Reed, and Sly White prior to the start of Saturday's game. 

Brevard was unable to overcome a slow start in which the Tornados scored just nine points through the first 11 minutes of action. BC remained down by double figures through the rest of the first half before drawing within five points, 43-38, at the 14:24 mark in the second period. However, WPU ended the game on a 27-14 stretch to close out the 16-point win. 

Sophomore RJ Johnson scored a career-high 14 points for the Tornados, while Quincy Carter added 10 points. Kavan Horton scored eight points and logged seven rebounds and three assists, while Jadon Carnes also scored eight points for the Tornados. 

WPU's biggest edge was hitting eight 3-pointers to BC's two, and controlling a 37-26 edge on the boards. Timothy Pettiford notched a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Beau Bryant nearly had a triple-double, stuffing the box score with nine points, nine rebounds, and 12 assists. 

Brevard and William Peace go for round three in the first round of the 2024 USA South Men's Basketball Tournament on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

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-BC-