BRISTOL, TN – The UVA Wise men's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season with a 50-point first half led wire-to-wire in the 86-68 win over Lees-McRae in the SAC vs. Conference Carolinas Challenge Friday evening. The Highland Cavaliers made 15 3-pointers, forced 18 turnovers and turned them into 24 points.
The Cavs have now won two in a row over the Bobcats.
In the other game of the Challenge, Carson-Newman edged King 80-72. The Eagles and Bobcats will face off tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result: UVA Wise 86, Lees-McRae 68
Records: UVA Wise (1-0); Lees-McRae (0-2)
Location: Bristol, TN | Student Center Complex
HOW IT HAPPENED
Brayden Hazelbaker opened the Cavs' scoring with a 3-pointer after a
Caden Giles steal, and
Cy Hardy added two more from long range to put UVA Wise ahead 9-2 at 18:03. Lees-McRae worked back within 24-20 on a Nick Long jumper at 7:22, but
Ryan Richardson, Hazelbaker,
Hensley Ward and
Rony Mbandou combined on a 10-0 Highland Cavalier run that pushed the lead to 34-20. After Lincoln Raper's 3-pointer brought Lees-McRae to 36-25, Hardy scored inside and hit a 3-pointer, Giles added a jumper and Mbandou finished in the paint as the Cavs stretched the margin to 45-25.
Anderson Cummins made two free throws in the final minute, and Ward connected from 3 with 12 seconds left to send UVA Wise into halftime ahead 50-28.
The Highland Cavaliers moved from a 50-30 score to 55-30 early in the second half, as Hardy hit a 3-pointer at 18:47 and
Brayden Hazelbaker made two fast-break free throws after Cummins' steal. Lees-McRae got points in the paint and at the line to make it 55-37, but
Dylan Saunders scored off an assist from
Phoenix Sickles, Ward added a free throw after blocking a shot, and Hardy's second 3-pointer of the half put the Cavaliers up 61-39 at 12:55. After Lees-McRae trimmed it to 61-44, Giles made two free throws, Cummins added two more and Giles dunked off Cummins' assist for a 67-44 score, and Ward's later 3-pointer left the Cavs ahead 77-48 at 5:36. Lees-McRae answered with DJ Boyce scoring three straight baskets as part of a late perimeter exchange, but Sickles and
Gunner Garrett hit 3-pointers for the Highland Cavaliers, Garrett added two free throws at 1:57, and the Cavs closed out an 86-68 win.
GETTING WISE
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Cy Hardy led all scorers with a career-high 19 points, including shooting 7-for-12 from the field and 5-for-8 on 3-pointers, and pulled down four rebounds.
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Hensley Ward scored twelve points, including shooting 3-for-8 on 3-pointers, and also had three steals and two blocks.
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Caden Giles scored eight points and tied his career high of seven rebounds. He also had four assists and three steals.
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Ryan Richardson had eleven points as he went 3-for-5 from the field and 2-for-4 on 3-pointers. He also dished out two assists.
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Brayden Hazelbaker scored ten points, and also had two steals and three rebounds.
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Anderson Cummins chipped in seven points, while
Rony Mbandou scored six.
- The Cavs outrebounded LMC 38-37 and shot 47.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc.
UP NEXT
The Cavs will face King, who is hosting the Challenge, Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.
