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MURFREESBORO – Chowan placed four players in double-figures in a 77-63 win here Saturday vs. Southern Wesleyan in a Conference Carolinas men’s basketball game.

Preston Le Gassick posted a career-high 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range to lead the scoring. Isaac Hippolyte collected a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Christian Koonce chipped in with 12 points, while Jay Estime added 11.

Cheick Traore and RJ Wilson hauled in 10 rebounds each.

Chowan trailed just once (18-17) in the early going before Le Gassick connected from deep to hand the lead back to the Hawks. The triple sparked a run to end the half as Hippolyte added a layup and Traore finished off the half with an emphatic dunk to lead 28-18.

Estime, Daylan Askew, and Koonce started the scoring in the second half with triples. Hippolyte added a jumper as Chowan’s lead swelled to 40-24. Le Gassick connected from deep twice to maintain the advantage.

Koonce helped build the lead (56-38) with a three-point play and a three-pointer in between a pair of freebies by Hippolyte. Koonce, Hippolyte, and Askew pushed the lead to its largest, 22 points at 62-40, with points in the paint.

The Warriors went on an 8-2 run to cut into the deficit as Donavon Martin added a pair of jumpers. Traore used a jumper in the paint to end the run. Le Gassick and Skyler Davies added free throws to offset the late run by SWU.

Davies posted a three-point play before Wilson cleaned up the glass with a putback dunk to end the contest.

Chowan (8-6 overall; 6-3 in league play) hits the road for an important Conference Carolinas showdown against Belmont Abbey on Monday, Jan. 16. Tip-off is slated for 7 pm.