No. 6 Richard Bland Rallies Past Host Lenoir (N.C.) CC 84-70

KINSTON, N.C. -- Sophomore Deandre Clark/Orange scored a game-high 22 points to lead No. 6 Richard Bland College to an 84-70 Region X Conference men's basketball road victory at Lenoir (N.C.) Community College on Wednesday night in Kinston, North Carolina.  Classmate Jaquan Wooten/Kinston, North Carolina added 14 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks for the visiting and nationally-ranked Statesmen (13-2, 6-0), who rallied from a 37-30 halftime deficit en route to their ninth-straight win.  Nelson White and Dre'Jon Boley each scored 11 points for the host Lancers (5-9, 2-3).

Richard Bland, ranked in a tie for sixth in this week's NJCAA Division II Top 20 Poll, trailed 37-30 at halftime while playing its first game in nearly a month (12/14).  Sophomore Myles Markland/Petersburg led the Statesmen during the opening 20 minutes with six points, while Clark and freshman Robert Smith/Hampton each contributed five first-half points.

Richard Bland opened the second half with a 15-3 run to take a 45-40 lead against Lenoir, and the Statesmen never looked back, as the visitors outscored their hosts 54-33 during the second 20 minutes.  Clark had 17 second-half points, including five three-point field goals, while Wooten added 10 points after the intermission.

Clark led Richard Bland with his game-high 22 points, including six three-pointers.  Wooten finished with his seventh double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Statesmen, adding a game-high six blocks.  Smith had nine points, while Markland had eight points and freshman Stanley Taylor/Petersburg had seven points.  Freshman Tim Bing Jr./District Heights, Maryland dished out a game-high eight assists, along with five points. 

White and Boley each led Lenoir with their respective 11 points.  Daniel Saunders added 10 points for the Lancers.

Richard Bland and Lenoir were playing for the 10th time in the sport of men's basketball, and the Statesmen have never lost to the Lancers, now leading the series 10-0. 

Richard Bland will remain on the road for a Region X game at nationally-ranked No. 16 Louisburg (N.C.) College this Saturday afternoon, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. in Louisburg, North Carolina.  The Statesmen return home to play Fayetteville Technical (N.C.) Community College next Monday night, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Statesman Hall -- a contest rescheduled from Jan. 7 due to the effects of Winter Storm Helena.