DAYTON, Tenn.— The Montreat men's basketball team was back on the road after a 3-day break to travel to Tennessee on Wednesday night to compete against the Bryan College Lions. With a tough 86-54 result, the Cavaliers fell to 4-5 overall and 3-4 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). 
 
Montreat got off to a slow start as it couldn't seem to find a shot. Michael Erbeck added the first two points on the board, but a couple of 3-pointers from the home team gave the Lions opportunities to take an early 7-2 lead within four minutes. The 3-point barrage continued as Bryan went up 20-8 before making it 29-11. Halfway through the period, the offense for the Cavs began to increase as a Jamiel Wright, Collin Mills, Gabriel Rivera and Erbeck scored nine straight to pull the team within nine (29-20) with just six minutes left.
 
The Lions answered and showcased their dominance in the first half, maintaining a commanding 43-25 lead over the Cavaliers thanks to an 11-0 run. Despite a 9-point performance from Wright, along with six points each from Erbeck and Mills, the Lions' offensive prowess proved too much for the Cavaliers to handle. With a combination of cohesive play and individual standout performances, the Lions headed into the second half with their 18-point advantage.
 
Following the halftime break, the action heated up as Dyllan Barnwell swiftly secured a block within the first five seconds. Barnwell continued to make his presence felt, adding two crucial points to the Cavaliers' tally. Despite defensive efforts, the Cavaliers found themselves facing an uphill battle against the Lions' sharpshooting. Back-to-back 3-pointers extended the Lions' lead to 49-29, leaving the Cavaliers with a substantial deficit. The Cavaliers deployed a full-court press in an attempt to stifle Bryan College's scoring, but the Lions managed to convert their possessions into made baskets. The clock showed a formidable 24-point lead for the Lions at 57-33 with just 14 minutes remaining. 
 
In the final minutes, the Cavaliers managed to put up eight points, but Bryan College's continued control and a 34-point lead proved insurmountable, resulting in a conclusive 86-54 victory for the Lions as the game came to an end. 
 
Wright emerged as the team leader in scoring, contributing 11 points, while Barnwell made a significant impact with nine points from plays in the paint. Erbeck secured the top spot in rebounds with an impressive total of eight, and Mills (8 points) showcased his accuracy from beyond the arc, hitting two of the team's three makes from the 3-point line.  
 
Bryan (6-4, 4-4 AAC) held a substantial shooting advantage, making 33 of its 67 attempts (49.3 percent) compared to the Cavs' 33.3 percent (24-72 FG). The Lions also converted on 15 of 38 3-pointers (39.5 percent), while Montreat hit only three of 27 tries from deep (11.1 percent) and connected on three of eight free throws (37.5 percent) compared to the Lions' 62.5 percent (5-8 FT) showing at the free-throw line.
 
Men's basketball hosts the University of Pikeville Bears in its next game this Saturday at 4 p.m.