BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Carolina University men's basketball returned to action on Tuesday evening, Dec. 16, traveling to Black Mountain for a 5 p.m. tipoff against Montreat College at McAlister Gymnasium. In the second meeting between the two programs this season, the Cavaliers used a decisive first-half run to secure a 92–69 victory over the Bruins.

The opening 10 minutes featured a tightly contested back-and-forth battle, with Carolina matching Montreat possession for possession early. However, Montreat seized control midway through the first half, closing the period on a 32–12 run to take a commanding 46–26 lead into the break.

Carolina showed resilience in the second half, scoring 43 points and shooting more efficiently from the floor, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome. The Bruins were led offensively by DJ Evans, who finished with a team-high 19 points, while Shawn Woodson added 17 points off the bench. Carolina also received contributions from Julius Lymon (6 points) and Zay Scott (7 points) as the team continued to battle throughout the final 20 minutes.

Despite the result, Head Coach Jacob Heck emphasized growth and competitiveness coming out of the contest.

"We competed early and showed flashes of what we're capable of, but against a team like Montreat you can't afford long stretches of lapses," said Heck. "Our response in the second half was encouraging, and we'll take that effort as we continue to prepare and grow as a group."

Carolina will look to build on its second-half momentum as the Bruins continue their schedule moving forward. Men's basketball will now have a long break for Christmas and will be back in action on New Year's Eve, January 31 as they play host to Columbia College for a 2pm tipoff.