WALESKA, Ga.— Hitting the road for the first time in 2026, the Montreat College men's basketball team traveled to Waleska, Ga. on Saturday for an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) showdown against the Reinhardt University Eagles. Despite holding a lead for a sizable chunk of the contest, the Cavaliers couldn't snag their first win at Reinhardt since 2020, falling by a narrow 70-69 margin. With the result, the Cavs moved to 11-7 (7-4 AAC) on the year, while the Eagles improved to 6-12 (5-6 AAC).
 
Montreat opened play by quickly overcoming Reinhardt's early two-point lead. A 3-pointer from Zeke Bullington, assisted by Mike Wade, sparked a 9-0 spurt over 2:32. Four different Cavaliers scored during the stretch, building an 11-4 advantage for the visitors a little over five minutes into the ballgame.
 
Caleb Moore and Dyllan Barnwell helped the Cavs maintain their momentum through the middle of the half by contributing key points in the paint. Despite Reinhardt eventually eliminating the gap to tie the score at 17-17, Montreat pulled away again with Wade's 3-point play. The visitors established their largest lead of the half, 31-23, by the 3:12 mark thanks to an Owen Stewart triple and a free throw from Barnwell.
 
Although the home side managed to narrow the deficit across the final few minutes, the Cavaliers still entered the intermission with a 33-28 edge.
 
Aden Taylor and Wade aided Montreat in beginning the second half strongly. The pair notched old-fashioned 3-point plays to extend the lead out to double digits, 40-30, less than three minutes into the frame. Bullington and Moore added a steal and a defensive rebound during the sequence to limit the Eagles' offense. Despite that spurt, Reinhardt responded by narrowing the gap, capitalizing on turnovers and drawing numerous fouls to remain competitive.
 
Midway through the half, the Cavs maintained their edge with a pair of 3-pointers from Stewart and Taylor. However, RU fought back, chipping away before ultimately tying the game at 59 with 6:02 remaining. The hosts continued their push, turning in an 11-2 run to claim a 61-59 lead, their first since creating a 4-2 edge early in the matchup. Reinhardt later grabbed its largest lead of the day, 65-60, with 3:25 to go in regulation.
 
Suddenly trailing, Lawrence Cole and Wade slashed the gap down to 70-69. Despite a few late chances, including a free throw and a 3-point heave, the Cavaliers couldn't overcome that final point. When the buzzer sounded, Reinhardt sprinted off the floor with a 70-69 victory.
 
Overall, Montreat delivered a better shooting performance than the Eagles, going 20-for-44 overall (45.5 percent) and 6-for-17 from deep (35.3 percent) compared to the hosts' 40.4 percent (23-57 FG) and 11.1 percent (2-18 3-pt FG) marks. However, RU's 22-of-25 showing at the free-throw line (88.0 percent) bested the Cavs' 23-of-33 effort (69.7 percent). The Eagles also maintained edges in rebounds (39-34), second chance points (19-10), points off turnovers (17-6) and points in the paint (30-26).
 
"This is back-to-back games that we've lost the battle on the boards," said head coach Anthony Barringer. "It's hard to win games in general when you do that, but it's really hard to do on the road. That category was the difference in the game. We know it doesn't get any easier from here, but we are here for it. We will respond accordingly.
 
Stewart led the team with 16 points, converting three of his five 3-point attempts. Cole contributed 15 points, making a career-high nine free throws on 12 tries. Wade added 13 points and recorded two steals, showcasing his defensive presence. Taylor collected eight rebounds and scored eight points, including one 3-pointer.
 
The Montreat College men's basketball team returns to McAlister Gymnasium for its next action on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Tipoff between the Cavaliers and the Johnson University Royals is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Montreat, N.C.