HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Junior Chaise Johnson/Richmond scored a team-high 15 points off the bench, but Hampden-Sydney College dropped an 80-53 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball decision to Virginia Wesleyan University on Wednesday night at S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium. Sophomore Jake Hahn/Ruckersville added 10 points for the host Tigers (4-14, 1-10 ODAC), who trailed 38-29 at halftime. Lamont Steward scored a game-high 16 points for the visiting Marlins (10-11, 8-4 ODAC), while Keijon Honore added 15 points.
H-SC and VWU were tied early at 2-2 following a layup by freshman Morgan McKay/Banner Elk, N.C., and the Tigers were within 8-4 at 15:14 after two free throws from Johnson. The Marlins, however, used a 15-6 run to lead 23-10 with 10:15 left in the opening half. H-SC scored seven unanswered points to get within 23-17 at 7:36, as Johnson and senior captain Justin Reid/Cary, N.C. scored baskets around a three-point field goal by McKay. Another three-pointer, this time by freshman Cole Atwood/Mount Olive, N.C., had the hosts within 28-22 at 4:53, but VWU extended the margin to 35-23 with 2:52 on the clock. The Tigers closed to 35-29 on two more free throws from Johnson, but the visitors got a late three-pointer to lead 38-29 at the intermission.
H-SC opened the second half with two free throws by Hahn to make it 38-31, and it was 44-34 at 14:36 after a jumper from Hahn. VWU, though, put together an 18-2 run to take a 62-36 advantage with 10:23 remaining. A layup by Reid made it 65-41 at 8:21, but a quick 10-4 run had the Marlins ahead 75-45 with 3:16 left to play. The Tigers did outscore their visitors 8-5 over the last 2:30 to provide for the final margin, getting points from McKay along with freshmen Jack Wyatt/Richmond, MK Johnston/Meherrin and Josh Hall/Cherry Hill, N.J.
Johnson led H-SC with his team-high 15 points off the bench, including a perfect 10-10 free throws. Hahn finished with his 10 points for the Tigers. McKay added eight points and eight rebounds, while Reid contributed eight points and seven rebounds. H-SC shot 29% (15-52) from the field, including 19% (3-16) on three-pointers, and 83% (20-24) at the free throw line.
Steward led VWU with his game-high 16 points, adding seven rebounds. Honore finished with 15 points, including 5-8 three-pointers for the Marlins. VWU shot 48% (31-64) from the field, including 34% (12-35) on three-pointers, and 86% (6-7) at the line.
H-SC will play its next two ODAC games on the road, including at Guilford College on Saturday, February 2, at 4:30 p.m. in Greensboro, North Carolina before playing at nationally-ranked archrival Randolph-Macon on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. in Ashland. The Yellow Jackets are No. 9 in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25, while the Quakers are receiving votes (9) this week.
