SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. –  Junior guard Thomas Lang (New Market, Md./Linganore) scored 20 points to lead Shepherd University (12-12, 8-10 MEC) to an 84-77 win over UVa-Wise (7-17, 4-14 MEC) in MEC men's basketball action at the Butcher Center on Saturday.

Lang hit on 4-of-14 field goals with a 1-of-8 performance from three-point range. He sank 11-of-12 free throws.

Senior guard Derek McKnight (Teaneck, N.J./Gaston (N.C.) Day School/Louisburg CC) added 17 points, while sophomore guard Jarrell Jones (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg/Alderson Broaddus) tossed in a career-high effort with 15 points.

Senior guard Devin Smith Baltimore, Md./Randallstown/Richard Bland CC) was also in double figures with 11 points. Senior forward Winston Burgess (Stafford, Va./Colonial Forge) added nine points and a game-high nine rebounds.

Cameron Whiteside had a game-high 25 points for UVa-Wise. Briggs Parris added 16 points and six rebounds, while Kaeleb Carter and Chance Sheffey each tossed in 14 points.

Shepherd had a 43-34 advantage at halftime behind a 71.4 percent (15-21) first-half field goal percentage.\

The Rams led by as many as 19 points in the second half,  but UVa-Wise finished the game on a 27-15 run to make it seven-point deficit.\

Shepherd connected on 54.8 percent (23-42) from the floor with a 45 percent (9-20) performance from beyond the arc for the game. The Rams hit on 76.3 percent (29-38) of their free throws.

UVa-Wise shot 43.9 percent (25-57) from the floor with a 32.4 percent effort (11-34) from three-point range. The Highland Cavaliers shot 94.1 percent (16-17) from the charity stripe.

Shepherd had a 32-25 rebounding edge. The Rams forced 12 turnovers and committed eight.

The Rams return to action on Thursday when they travel to West Virginia State for a 7:30 p.m. game.