HATTIESBURG, Miss. - William Carey University exhibited impressive offensive prowess on Thursday night, defeating Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) 115-87 in a non-conference matchup held at Clinton Gym.
 
From the start, William Carey established its dominance, quickly building a lead that only grew throughout the game. Anthony Robinson set the tone early with a powerful dunk and after four minutes of play back-to-back three-pointers from Jamar Jenkins, put WCU ahead 14-2.
 
The Crusaders extended their lead to 17 with a three-pointer from Dominic Simpkins, but the Knights managed to narrow the deficit to 21-15 midway through the first half. In response, the Crusaders countered with a jumper from Robinson and executed an impressive sequence of seven straight steals by four different players. This surge propelled them to a 38-15 lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the half. WCU maintained its tempo, amassing an impressive 30-point advantage by the 3:43 mark before heading into halftime with a score of 56-33.
 
In the first half, the Crusaders shot a remarkable 50% from the field and connected on seven three-pointers, achieving a conversion rate of 36.8% from beyond the arc. Their efficiency continued at the free-throw line, where they converted 100% of their attempts.
 
After the break, the offensive onslaught continued as the Crusaders outscored SUNO 59-54 in the second half. They maintained their shooting prowess, hitting 54.8% from the field and sinking 7-of-18 three-pointers (38.9%) en route to victory.
 
William Carey's defense played a pivotal role in the win, forcing 32 turnovers from Southern University and converting these opportunities into a staggering 46 points.
 
Individually, Jamar Jenkins shined as the standout player for William Carey, leading all scorers with a career-high 33 points on an efficient 11-of-16 shooting from the field, including 6-of-10 from three-point range. Malik Franklin contributed with 15 points, while Randarius Hughes and Troy Dunn added 12 points each. Makeen Roberts rounded out the performance, finishing with a triple-double of 11 points,10 steals, and 10 assists.
 
The Crusaders are set to return to the court on January 3, facing Talladega College in another non-conference matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 PM at Clinton Gym.