FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 12, 2025) --The Pfeiffer men's basketball team had four players score in double figures as the Falcons won their fourth straight game in an 82-74 road victory over the Methodist Monarchs on Wednesday in Fayetteville, N.C. The win pulls Pfeiffer into a tie with Southern Virginia for first place with a 9-2 league record.
Justin Gaten led the way for the Falcons, as he had a team-high 17 points and four assists. Alex Cunningham added 15 points and two steals and Daymon Beckwith scored 14 points and six rebounds off of the bench.
Beckwith's 14 points made him the 37th player in program history to achieve the 1,000 point milestone. In doing so, he passed Pfeiffer hall of famer and current N.C. Central women's head coach Terrence Baxter for 36th-place on the all-time scoring list.
Junior big man Doug Smith, last seasons USA South Defensive Player of the Year, grabbed 11 boards and finished with 13 points, good for his league-leading seventh double-double of the season. Smith also added three blocked shots in the win.
How It Happened
After jumping out to a 22-19 advantage, Pfeiffer went on a 6-0 run with 7:30 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Daniel Fulp, to increase its lead to 28-19. The Falcons then added two points to that lead by the end of the period and entered halftime with a 42-31 advantage. Pfeiffer did most of its first half damage in the paint, scoring 34 of its 42 points close to the basket.
Pfeiffer kept its lead intact before going on a 7-0 run to grow the lead to 79-68 with 1:40 to go in the contest. The Monarchs narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Falcons still cruised the rest of the way for the 82-74 win. Pfeiffer got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 19 of its 40 total points.
Game Notes
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Doug Smith notched a double-double for the Falcons with 13 points and 10 rebounds, his league-leading seventh of the season.
» Pfeiffer lead wire-to-wire, never trailing in the 82-74 victory.
» Pfeiffer recorded 15 total assists in the game on 30 made field goals
» The Pfeiffer bench made an impact by scoring 29 points to its scoring output.
» Pfeiffer outrebounded Methodist 40-33.
» The Falcons were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording six blocked shots as a team.
Up Next
Pfeiffer hits the road for the final time in regular season play on Saturday, Feb.15 when they travel to rival Greensboro College for a 4:00 p.m. game with the Pride.
