HARTSVILLE, S.C. – An exemplary defensive performance – coupled with an equally impressive offensive outburst – gave Newberry a dominant 86-57 victory over host Coker on Wednesday night for its seventh straight win.

Newberry (17-8, 10-5 South Atlantic Conference) came out of the gates with a flurry of points, leading 8-2 mere minutes into the game. The Wolves later extended that margin to 16-5 after a TJ Brown (Columbia, S.C.) 3-pointer just six minutes into the contest. Another 8-2 run further built the Wolves' lead to 24-7 after a pair of free throws from Drake Downs (Simpsonville, SC).

The Wolves closed the half on an 11-4 run to take a commanding 35-11 lead into the break. 24 of Newberry's 35 first-half points came in the paint, compared to a paltry six for Coker (11-14, 5-10 SAC).

The second half was much of the same for the Wolves: They quickly brought their advantage up to 28 early in the second 20 minutes, 43-15, thanks in part to free throws from Malakhi Stremlow (Traverse City, Mich.) and QuanDaveon McCollum (Clio, S.C.), as well as a 3-pointer from Andrew Robinson (Lexington, S.C.), one of his three 3-pointers on the night.

Newberry didn't allow the Cobras to get any closer than 21 points throughout the second half, and a Downs dunk put the exclamation point on the game for the Wolves with less than a minute remaining for the final score.

McCollum contributed another double-double for Newberry – his 10th double-double of the season and third consecutive – going for 19 points and 10 rebounds. Stremlow had a double-double of his own with 10 points and 12 rebounds, his fifth of the season. Malik Joseph (Eleuthera, Bahamas) just missed out on the double-double frenzy as he collected 13 points and nine boards.

Joining their teammates in double-figures were Robinson (13) and Downs (10). Booker Cusaac (Lexington, S.C.) and Landon Harrison (Columbia, SC) also registered buckets for the Wolves. Newberry obliterated Coker on the glass to the tune of a 58-23 rebounding edge, which led to 25 second chance points for the Wolves and a 48-26 scoring advantage in the
paint.

The Wolves will stay on the road this weekend as they travel north to Greeneville, Tennessee, for a Saturday matchup with the Tusculum Pioneers. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.