NCAA Box Score

FERRUM, Va. -- Behind five players in double figures, Ferrum College laid a 98-61 USA South men's basketball shellacking on Methodist University on Sunday evening inside Swartz Gym.

With the win, Ferrum is a half game ahead of Christopher Newport University and North Carolina Wesleyan College for the league's top spot.

The Panthers (18-2, 7-1 USA South) jumped out to a 19-0 lead, capped by a Lamont King layup just over six minutes into the contest. Methodist finally got on the board with a three-point basket by Travis Fulp, who finished with a team-high 14 points. He was Methodist's only player in double-figure scoring.

Marc Slade hit a jumper at the 9:41 mark for the Monarchs (7-13, 2-5 USA South) to cut the deficit to 24-12. The Panthers went on a 21-5 run from there, spanning over six minutes, to push the advantage to 45-17. The visitors finished the first frame on an 8-0 spurt to go into break down 45-25.

In the second half, Ferrum out-scored the Monarchs 53-36. T.J. Parker was 3-3 from behind the three-point line for nine points off the bench.

Ferrum shot 10-16 from behind the arc for the game, good for 62.5%. The Panthers shot 71% from the line, going 22-31. Ferrum's stifling defense held the Monarchs to just 38.2% from the floor. Coach Bill Tharp's team torched the nets for just under 58% for the game.

Derek Mitchell had 16 points and nine rebounds, both game-high totals. It was just the third time in 19 games this season that Mitchell did not register a double-double. In two of the three, Mitchell missed it by one rebound.

Keith Crump and Marcus Mayo had 13 points each for the Panthers. Crump just missed a double-double, dishing out nine assists. Nick English and Daryl Hart had 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Ferrum returns to action Saturday, February 5, at Greensboro College. The USA South doubleheader tips off at 2 p.m. with the women's game, and will be followed immediately by the men.