NEWBERRY — Musah Sackor poured in a season-high 34 points to lead six players in double-figures as the Newberry College men’s basketball team defeated Southern Wesleyan 124-100 on Saturday night at Eleazer Arena for the Newberry Invitational.

Newberry goes 2-0 in its home Invitational for the second consecutive season.

Sackor scored 34 points, going 14-for-19 from the floor. D.J. Copeland notched a career-high 22 points and Quaman Burton netted 18 points. Gerald Evans and Luke Gibson each had 13 points. Mason Spease turned in a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Warriors took an early 13-8 lead over Newberry (3-1). SWU (1-3) extended its lead to 10 after five minutes of play. A Copeland layup capped a 12-4 Newberry run that pulled the Wolves within two. Just over a minute later, Burton’s tip-in tied the game at 30-30 with 10:26 remaining in the first half. Only a minute and a half later, Sackor gave Newberry its first lead since the opening minutes after sinking two free throws.

After a back and forth few possessions, Southern Wesleyan tied the game at 40-40. Newberry took a 63-59 lead at the half. Sackor led Newberry with 19 points at the break. The Wolves shot 48.8 percent from the floor in the period.

The teams traded baskets to begin the second half. Newberry used a 12-0 run to extend the lead to 92-77 after seven minutes of play. SWU attempted a rally and pulled within 109-90. Newberry then slammed the door shut and led by a game-high 29 points with 3:02 remaining. The Wolves went on to win by a score of 124-100. The last time Newberry scored 120 or more points in regulation was against Allen on Dec. 1, 2015.

Newberry dished out 27 assists as a team, its highest total this season. The Wolves shot 47.7 percent (41-for-86) from the floor, compared to SWU’s (33-for-62) 53.2 percent. Newberry also was 30-for-36 (83.3 percent) from the line in the contest. The Wolves also cashed in 38 points off turnovers.

Darius Sharpe had 33 points for Southern Wesleyan. DJ Dobson notched 13 points and Jeremy Wert chipped in 12.

Newberry opens up South Atlantic Conference play Tuesday in Charlotte, N.C. against Queens (4-0, 0-0 SAC). Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

On Friday night, Quaman Burton scored a season-high 24 points to lead the Wolves to a 108-72 victory over Paine (1-1) in the Newberry Invitationa.

Burton led four in double-figures with on 10-of-17 shooting from the floor. Musah Sackor poured in 16 points off the bench. James Stepp and Luke Gibson chipped in 13 apiece. Amp Moore had a team-high seven rebounds and Gerald Evans dished out a game-high eight assists.

Paine took a 2-1 lead just seconds into the game, but the Lions never lead again in the contest after Stepp nailed a three from the corner. Newberry raced out to a 19-8 lead early in the first half. Paine rallied to pull within seven with 7:27 remaining in the half. The Lions continued to battle back and trailed only by four at 37-34 at halftime. Burton led Newberry with 11 points at the break. The Wolves shot 40.5 percent (15-for-37) from the floor.

Evans and Marshall Lange put Newberry up 12 after three pointers on back-to-back possessions after five minutes of action in the second half. Kaderious Compton nailed a three to pull Paine within six. Newberry used a 21-5 run, which included five made three-point baskets, to open up a 75-53 advantage. Paine never threatened again as Newberry led by as many as 38 points on its way to a 108-72 victory over the Lions.

Newberry shot 45.9 percent (39-for-85) from the floor for its highest percentage so far in a regular season game. The Wolves hit 15-of-31 (48.4 percent) three point baskets in the second half, and Newberry finished 38.5 percent (20-for-52) from deep in the game. Newberry totaled 18 steals which led to 40 points off turnovers. The Wolves’ defense held Paine to 4-for-16 (25.0 percent) from three in the contest.

Compton led three in double-figures for Paine with 18 points and nine rebounds.

Newberry will face Southern Wesleyan (1-2) at 5:00 p.m. Saturday in the Wolves’ second game of the Newberry Invitational. SWU lost to Coker 88-84 earlier this evening in the first contest of the tournament.

Staff Report