OWENSBORO, KY. – Behind a career high from Wyatt Battaile, the Kentucky Wesleyan College men's basketball team picked-up another Great Midwest Conference victory on Thursday night over Trevecca Nazarene. Adam Goetz and Battaile each tallied over 20 points in an 85-77 victory over Trojans at the historic Sportscenter.
 
The contest marked Wesleyan's third G-MAC victory out of four league games. It also marked the first time the Panthers' line-up featured two players scoring 20 or more points in a game since a 92-89 win over Davis &Elkins on February 21^st, Goetz (21) and Cameron Cartwright (20).
 
With the help of a 13-0 run the Panthers (4-6, 3-1 GMAC) took control midway through the first half. Battaile scored five points in the run, helping Wesleyan to a 23-12 lead. Out of a TNU timeout, the Trojans (1-11, 1-3 GMAC) rattled off nine consecutive points to comeback to one possession, 23-21.
 
The Trojans shot 52% from the field in the opening half, but the Panthers went into the locker-room with a 35-34 lead. Wesleyan forced nine turnovers in the opening half while only committing two miscues on their own end.
 
Trevecca utilized an inside-outside game in the second half and took their biggest lead of the night, 49-43 with 13 minutes left in the game. Less than a minute later, a three-point play by Battaile followed by a three-point basket from Jo Griffin tied the game at 49. The back-to-back baskets was the start of a 16-0 run by Wesleyan, finishing on Battaile's three-point bucket that gave the Panthers a 59-49 lead.
 
The Panthers kept increasing their lead over the final 10 minutes of the game, leading by 13 with three minutes left and as many as 15 with two minutes left in the game. The Trojans extended the game by marching the Panthers to the foul line in the final minutes, but the Panthers continued to make enough free-throws to secure the win.
 
Battaile finished seven of 14 form the field, including four of nine from the arc to record a career-high 27 points. He also pulled in seven rebounds. Goetz added 20 points and five assists. Griffin finished with 11 points and six assists. Zach Hopewell recorded nine points while Stew Currie added six points and eight rebounds.
 
The Panthers will host No. 4 Lincoln Memorial on Sunday. Tip-off at the Sportscenter is scheduled for 2:15 PM.
 
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