ATHENS, Tenn. – Bryan College men's basketball fell to Tennessee Wesleyan 76-71 on Saturday afternoon, dropping the Lions to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
Despite a strong second-half performance that saw Bryan outscore the Bulldogs after trailing at halftime, the Lions couldn't overcome Tennessee Wesleyan's efficient three-point shooting and timely free throws down the stretch.

Junior forward Jerry Taylor Jr. led Bryan with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting, adding six free throws in eight attempts. Taylor also contributed four assists and grabbed three rebounds in 23 minutes of action.

Haydn Moten posted a solid double-digit performance with 12 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting, pulling down eight rebounds and dishing out two assists.
Off the bench, Regale Moore provided a spark with nine points, while Terrell Reeves added seven points in 14 minutes of reserve duty. The Bryan bench combined for 26 points compared to Tennessee Wesleyan's 18. Derek Curtis played a team-high 36 minutes, finishing with eight points.

Tennessee Wesleyan built an early lead in the first half, taking a 34-29 advantage into the break. The Bulldogs' three-point shooting proved decisive, as they connected on 6-of-14 attempts from beyond the arc in the opening period.

Bryan fought back in the second half, briefly tying the game at 34-34 early in the period on a three-pointer by Trey Morrow. The Lions stayed within striking distance throughout, pulling within two points on multiple occasions in the final minutes.

However, Tennessee Wesleyan's Reshaun Hampton delivered key baskets down the stretch, finishing with a game-high 18 points on 5-of-12 shooting, including four three-pointers. Charles Neverdon added 16 points, and Stratton Lovvorn chipped in 14 points for the Bulldogs.

Bryan struggled from three-point range, converting just 2-of-15 attempts (13.3%), while Tennessee Wesleyan excelled from distance, hitting 12-of-26 (46.2%). The Lions did win the rebounding battle 37-20 and dominated points in the paint 30-16, but couldn't overcome their perimeter shooting woes.

The Lions shot 50.0% from the field in the second half, a marked improvement from their 41.2% first-half clip, and connected on 8-of-9 free throws after the break.

Bryan returns home to continue their season on Tuesday as they host Spartanburg Methodist. The Lions will look to bounce back and improve their conference record as they search for consistency in the coming weeks.