Carolina University’s men’s basketball team began its participation in the Irma Stepp Memorial Classic with a loss to Great Lakes Christian College on Friday night at Alice Lloyd College’s Perry Campus Center. The final score was 96–82.
The Bruins struggled in the first half, trailing 56–37 at halftime after the Crusaders built an early lead. In the second half, Carolina University improved its performance, outscoring Great Lakes 45–40 with stronger defense and more efficient offense.
Junior guard Shawn Woodson led Carolina University with 30 points, making 11 of his 19 field goal attempts and hitting four shots from beyond the arc. Cooper Smith contributed 14 points, while Zay Scott added 12. Tristan Kuska recorded nine points and collected a team-high 11 rebounds. The Bruins had a significant advantage on the boards, outrebounding their opponents by a margin of 53–31 and securing 24 offensive rebounds.
Head Coach Jacob Heck addressed his team’s effort: “We didn’t come out with the focus we needed in the first half, and that cost us early,” Heck said. “But this team has to figure out how to come together as a unit and play as a team before it is too late.”
With this result, Carolina University falls to a season record of 1–3. The team is scheduled to face The Crown College on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. during day two of the tournament.
