NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In the opening game of the 2011 CNU/Point Plaza Invitational, the CNU men's team (3-2) held off a second-half surge from the Wesley University Wolverines (1-2) to win by an 89-80 final.  The Captains were led by junior Luc Atangana with a double-double, and sophomore Tra Benefield added a team-high 22 leading five CNU players in double figures.

The Captains built a first-half lead that reached as many as 15, on a Jon Snead layup with 4:12 remaining. The left-handed scoop capped a 17-6 run that saw CNU take its biggest lead of the game. Rookie Corey Cooper came off the bench to lead the way for CNU in the first with 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting including a pair of three-pointers.

Paul Reynolds knocked down nine straight free-throws for the Wolverines and finished the first half with 15 points. Wesley struggled from the field, though, as the CNU defense held the road squad to 30.3% shooting on 10-of-33 from the field. Wesley knocked down just two of 11 three-point attempts for 18.2% shooting beyond the arc.

The game labored in the second half, as the two teams combined to take 51 free-throws in the final 20 minutes. Wesley mounted a comeback, though, led primarily at the line by Reynolds. CNU held the double-digit lead until the ten-minute mark, when a technical foul and a foul on the floor allowed Reynolds a shot at four free-throws. He knocked down all four and then another on the next possession to pull the Wolverines back within six, 72-66.

A pair of layups by J.J. Bryant made it a one possession game with just over eight minutes remaining, as Wesley closed within three, 73-70. That would be as close as the Wolverines would ge though, as the Captains would answer with four straight free-throws of their own to re-take a seven-point lead.

There were 59 fouls called in the game, resulting in 84 free-throw attempts. Reynolds led the way in the game, taking 23 shots from the charity stripe, knocking down 19.  As a team, Wesley hit 31-of-44 free-throws in the game for 70.5% shooting. The Captains also took 40 free-throws, hitting 31 of them for a 77.5 percentage. Atangana led the way with 11 made free-throws for CNU.

Atangana finished with 20 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while also chipping in five assists. Benefield's 22 points led the Captains, on 9-of-16 shooting. Nik Biberaj (15 points), Conley Taylor (14 points),  and Corey Cooper (10 points) rounded out the double-figure scoring for CNU.

CNU shot 43.3% from the field on 26-of-60 shooting, while Wesley knocked down 36.1% of its shots on 22-of-61 from the field. Paul Reynolds led the Wolverines with 29 points and seven rebounds, while JJ Bryant and Chris Douglas each added 11 for the road team.

The 2011 CNU/Point Plaza Invitational will resume on Saturday at 5:00 pm as the Wesley University Wolverines take on the Washington & Lee Generals in neutral site action. The Captains will then face Washington & Lee on Sunday at 4:00 pm.