For the fourth time this season, the Lenoir-Rhyne Men’s Basketball Team suffered a one-possession loss, this time a one-point set back to Newberry inside Shuford Arena, 61-60.

The back-and-forth affair featured four lead changes and three ties on the night. The Bears were held to just 22 first-half points and shot 32 percent from the field.

The starting lineup was the first time LR rolled out a starting five of Hamilton Campbell, L.J. McCoy, Will Kelly, Damion Medwinter and Percy Fyle. The new look starting lineup only recorded eight points as LR produced 52 points off the bench.

Newberry led by as many as eight in the second half but the Bears cut it to one on a T.J. Nesmith free throw with 57 seconds to go. The Bears got a defensive stop with 26 seconds but turned the ball over back to the Wolves with just eight seconds to go. LR fouled after the turnover and Newberry missed the front end of a 1-and-1 but the Bears would turn the ball over one more time and the Wolves would convert a 3-point play. Down four with a few seconds left, L.J. McCoy hit a triple to cut the final score to 1.

Nesmith led the way with 24 points. Nas Tyson added 18 points and seven boards. Other than Nesmith and Tyson, the rest of LR combined for 18 points.

Just 10 days ago, Newberry beat LR at the buzzer on a last second jumper. The two Newberry wins over LR are by a combined three points.

The Bears are 8-11 overall, 3-8 in the South Atlantic Conference. LR will finish its three-game home stand on Wednesday when Limestone comes to town for a 7:30 p.m. tip off.