JACKSON, Miss. - Panther Men's Basketball (4-10, 0-2 Collegiate Conference of the South) suffered a tough defeat on the road Tuesday night (Jan. 7) at the hands of Belhaven University (11-3, 1-0 CCS) in a 96-65 final from Jackson, Mississippi.

Game Summary
The Panthers came out swinging to start the contest, throwing the first punch in the form of a 6-2 lead early. Unfortunately, the Blazers were well up to the task, responding with an array of baskets from all over the court as LaGrange trailed by as much as 14 midway through the half. The Panthers' resolve would not wither away that easily, however, cutting the deficit down to seven with just eight minutes left in the first half. Despite the gutsy 7-0 run from LC, the Blazers continued to roll offensively, drilling an emphatic three-consecutive shots from behind the arc as they further bolstered their lead with LaGrange down 43-22 at the half.

The Panthers' offensive efforts were completely stymied by a smothering Blazer defense in the second half, as LC's hopes to rally began to dwindle. After a much-improved offensive showing from LaGrange in the second half, it would prove to be well too-little-too-late as they dropped their second conference matchup of the season. 

Panthers of the Game
Tyler Harrington led the team in scoring with 15 points on the night, in addition to three respective steals and rebounds.

Panther freshman guard Ian McLargin proved a bright spot late in the contest for LC, dishing out a pair of assists with a rebound and steal to the Tampa, Fl native's ledger.

Up Next
The Panthers will be back in action on Thursday (Jan. 9) when they travel to Covenant College to take on the Scots at 5 p.m. Click here for links to stream the game and live stats.