HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (January 21, 2008)—With an opportunity to put into practice the lessons it learned in several tight, late game situations early in the season, Hampden-Sydney passed its latest test Wednesday night.
Lane Medlin (West Point, VA/Fork Union) tallied a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds andTurner King (Roanoke, VA/Roanoke Catholic) led all scorers with 25 points as Hampden-Sydney (9-8, 4-4 ODAC) escaped S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium with a 72-63 win over a feisty Lynchburg College squad.
The 15 points and 10 rebounds were career-highs for Medlin, as were his four assists, two of which came on consecutive possessions late in the second half with Hampden-Sydney clinging to six point leads.
King struggled somewhat from the floor, going 5-for-13 overall and 1-of-7 from three, but turned his focus to the foul line, where he shot a blistering 14-for-15, helping the Tigers remain an arms length away from the Hornets in the waning moments.
The Tigers claimed their eighth straight win in the series, but needed all 40 minutes to do so, as crafty Hornets' point guard Steven Echols simply would not let Lynchburg (3-13, 1-6 ODAC) bow out without a fight.
After a 9-0 Hampden-Sydney run staked the Tigers a 49-37 lead with 7:55 to play, Echols began his solo assault on the Hampden-Sydney lead, scoring all of Lynchburg's next 10 points to pull the Hornets within 52-47 at the 6:23 mark. Despite Echols' efforts, the Hornets could draw no closer the rest of the way.
Echols scored 20 of his team-high 22 points in the second half and was a stat sheet stuffer on this night, grabbing six boards, dishing six assists and swiping four steals.
At the outset, it appeared that both teams needed someone to pry the covers off the baskets. Lynchburg shot just 20 percent in the opening stanza, and did not reach double digits until two Sean Sutherland free throws cut the Hampden-Sydney lead to 16-11 at the 9:19 mark.
The Tigers needed a late flurry, fueled by two seldom used reserves, to find an offensive rhythm in the period. Junior Larry Henshaw (Petersburg, VA/Prince George) came off the bench and nailed two triples within five possessions, his second putting the Tigers up 25-16 with 3:05 remaining in the half.
Hakeem Croom (Harlem, NY/Fishburne Military) chipped in with a three-pointer of his own from the left wing at the 2:19 mark, giving Hampden-Sydney an 11-point advantage, 28-17. The Tigers led by a 30-20 count at the break.
A quick 6-0 Lynchburg run at the outset of the second half set the tone for the entire frame, as the Hornets' other playmaker, Mason Wooldridge, scored four points, including a fast break dunk, during the brief spree.
But Lynchburg managed to come within one possession just twice in the final 20 minutes, with the second of those occurrences being answered by the aforementioned 9-0 Hampden-Sydney surge.
King also snared seven rebounds and registered three assists for the Tigers. Shane Payne (Weston, FL/Sagemont) recorded nine points, four rebounds and two blocks. Hampden-Sydney shot just 41.2 percent for the game, but converted on 20-of-26 free throw opportunities.
Wooldridge finished with 17 points and five rebounds for the Hornets. Danny Reid tallied eight points and six rebounds. Lynchburg was held to 32.7 percent shooting for the night and just 29.4 percent from beyond-the-arc.
Hampden-Sydney will now embark on a three-game road trip that begins Saturday, January 24 in Lexington, Virginia. The Tigers will take on Washington and Lee in a contest scheduled for 7:00 pm.
