MONTREAT, NC -- Carolina University Men's Basketball was on the road against Montreat College on Thursday, October 29th. The Bruins entered the game 2-0 under new Head Coach Willie Williams, but hadn't been tested by a team like Montreat yet. Montreat College was an NAIA National Tournament Qualifier in 2019-2020 and finished the season Receiving Votes in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll. The Cavaliers returned 2 of their top 3 leading scorers from last season and are pre-season projected to finish 2nd in the Appalachian Athletic Conference this year. According to Coach Williams, the Bruins embraced the challenge pre-game. "We respect Montreat and what they have accomplished. They are an extremely talented group with a tremendous coach. With all due respect to them, we have a pretty good group as well and look forward to the opportunity to see where we stand against a nationally respected program."

The Bruins looked like they belonged from the opening tip, as they converted an initial stop to a Cooper 3 to take the early lead. CU built the lead to 9, but Montreat wouldn't go away that easily. The Cavaliers continued to chip away at the lead and tie the game at 33 all with 4:12 to go in the first half. Ofoegbu would immediately answer and regain the lead for the Bruins. The score would tie again at 40, but Carolina University would take a 45-42 lead into halftime. Cooper opened the second half the same as the first with an early 3 for the Bruins. The Cavaliers would answer and trade baskets with the Bruins as both teams shot over 60% from the field. However, late in the second half Carolina University's defense would come up big with some timely stops that led to transition points and a little cushion. Montreat tried to make one last push but again Ofoegbu sealed the game with a huge dunk from a Benjamin assist. The Bruins would close out the game and earn the 97-83 victory.

The Bruins squad is starting to take shape after the 3-0 start. Kester Ofoegbu has solidified himself as a force after scoring 28 points on the returning Montreat interior, including another highlight dunk. Micah Cooper and Andrue Aguilera are providing space and scoring from the wings after combining for 7 three-point field goals and 33 total points. Daniel Benjamin led the team and had a game high 9 assists. True-Freshman Maurice Peyton Jr. had a breakout type of night with 19 points off the bench, including some crucial finishes in crunch time. The coaching staff continues to rave about their depth and confidence that multiple players have the ability to step up when needed.

The Bruins will be tested again on Tuesday, November 3rd in a contest at Columbia International University. The Rams are not only another AAC opponent, but an NCCAA DI South Region opponent as well. CIU finished with 20 wins last season and were NCCAA DI South Regional Champions. This should be an incredible showdown of regional foes that will tip-off at 7:00PM.