There are two ways to react to a tough season and a long losing streak.  The Montreat College men's basketball team is facing just such a streak, and two narrow but wrenching results this week prove that they have reacted with determination and effort: they are fighting hard and looking to change close losses into wins.On Saturday, January 16, Head Coach Jonathan Bennett's men faced Appalachian Athletic Conference opponent Union College, who came to Montreat's McAlister Gym with a 9-10 record.  The Bulldogs got 20 or more points from three different players and claimed an exciting 94-90 victory in overtime after surviving a last-second Montreat possession in regulation that the Cavaliers could not convert for the victory.

Kerney Demus led Union with 27 points, and Bennett was quick to acknowledge the opponents' fine effort.  But he saw, in defeat, signs from his team that he wanted to see: "We trailed by 12 at halftime and came out and played extremely hard to force overtime.  The second half marked our best offensive half of the season.  I was encouraged by our effort and saw significant improvement that will - hopefully - help us as we finish the year."  

Vince Dombrowski scored 24 points and Terrell Mosley added 21 to lead the Cavaliers; the loss dropped Montreat to 1-6 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference and to 2-16 overall.

Two nights later, North Greeneville University unleashed a fearsome attack on the Cavaliers and raced to a 102-89 win as the Crusaders were "too good on the offensive end," according to Bennett.  As during the Union loss, three opposing players topped 20 points as the Cavaliers' defense failed to cope with Jonathan Bozymowski, who totaled 23 points and 9 rebounds; Luke Lattimer (22) and Paul Harrison (20) also stood out for the visitors.

Bennett noted that Montreat held the Crusaders' leading scorer (Harrison) below his average but that four or five North Greeneville players far exceeded their usual output; Bozymowski, for example, had been scoring 4 points a game and exploded for 23, joining Montreat's Vince Dombrowski as the game's high scorer.

The men next face a weak Virginia Intermont College team when they travel to Bristol, Virginia on Wednesday, January 20.  The Cobras have not tasted victory this season and rest at the bottom of the AAC with a 0-7 conference record and an 0-19 overall mark.  The Cavs' next home game falls on Saturday, January 23 when Milligan College brings its 6-11 record to McAlister Gym.