MARS HILL, NC -- Senior guard Colton Hunt (Whittier, NC/Smoky Mountain) scored a game-high 24 points and the WildCats forced 28 turnovers in earning a 76-69 victory over Division II Mars Hill College in exhibition action Thursday evening.

The WildCat all-time leading point scorer posted his total on 10-of-18 shooting, making eight of his 11 shots worth two points. Hunt also contributed four boards and six steals. Hunt was named a D3Hoops.com Preseason All-American Honorable Mention earlier in the week.

Randolph showed a lot of fight down the stretch, especially for a team that started a pair of first-year players. After Mars Hill used a 12-0 to start the second half, Randolph responded and regained the lead at 54-52 on Taylor Smith (Mullen, WV/Wyoming East) jump-hook with 8:23 to play. The Lions rallied several times to cut the deficit to one in the closing minutes, but each time Randolph had an answer.

The WildCats kept their lead down the stretch, and first-year guard Corey Brown (Williamsburg, VA/Walsingham) posted a huge steal and a pair of free throws to make the score 70-65. Randolph was stout at the line in the waning moments, earning the victory. Randolph led at the half 34-26 after Hunt scored 12 in the first stanza.

Junior Mike Ehilegbu (Raleigh, NC/Ravenscroft) had 14 points and four assists, while Brown posted 11 points, four helpers and five steals. Brown made six-of-seven from the line for Randolph, which finished 18-of-25 from the line (72 percent). Senior Chris Battaglia (Smithfield, VA/Portsmouth) had four points to go with a team-high seven boards.

The WildCats shot 47.3 percent from the field (26-55), while nailing six-of-20 from downtown. The Lions were led by Khouraichi Thiam and his double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds. Jalen Witherspoon scored 10 points, and James Fields added nine points off the bench for the hosts.

"We want to use opportunities like tonight to gain experience, learn, and grow individually and collectively," said head coach Clay Nunley. "I was pleased with a number of things our team did tonight, but they would also be the first to tell you that we have much work in front of us as we prepare for the start of the regular season.

Randolph starts its season next Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. against Arcadia College in the Scotty Wood Tipoff Tournament at Muhlenberg College.

--RANDOLPH--