LYNCHBURG, VA (January 20, 2010)—Hampden-Sydney travelled to Lynchburg and took home a much needed 76-69 win to improve to 7-9 and 3-5 in the ODAC. The Tigers held a 44-37 lead at halftime and held on in the second half. Freshman Harrison George (Raleigh, NC/Leesville) led the way with a game-high 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Ben Jessee (Midlothian, VA/Cosby) and Turner King (Roanoke, VA/Roanoke Catholic) each added 14 points.

The Tigers started out on the offensive with two triples from King and Jessee to take a quick 6-2 lead. Though Jeff Langrock made it a one point game at 6-5, Hampden-Sydney used the next two and a half minutes to extend its lead to 18-7.

Lynchburg continued to hang around, but back-to-back buckets from George extended the Tiger lead to 28-15 at the 9:47 mark. After a Nate Campbell lay up, four straight points from senior Jonathan Mudd (Miami, FL/American) gave the Tigers their biggest lead of the night at 32-17.

The Hornets used the next six minutes, behind eight points from Steven Echols, to go on a 15-8 run that brought them within two points with a minute and a half left in the half.

The Tigers managed to bounce back, and Jessee knocked down the final five points of the half to give his squad a 44-37 cushion at intermission.

King and Karlis Trops (Riga, Latvia/Charlotte Latin) started off the second half with four points to give Hampden-Sydney a 48-37 lead. Lynchburg's Brandon Connor nailed a three that put the Hornets within single digits, but Jessee responded with a lay up that put his team up 50-40 with 17:41 left.

The two teams traded buckets for the next for the next three minutes, but Lynchburg began to creep back into the game at the 14:24 mark. The Hornets outscored the Tigers 11-1 to tie the game at 58 with 11 minutes remaining.

After a 100 second scoring drought, Hampden-Sydney broke the deadlock with two Alex Potapov (Moscow, Russia/Florida Air) free throws, and the Tigers never looked back.

Hampden-Sydney lead by as much as seven with 4:17 remaining, but Lynchburg again crept in scoring six points to the Tigers' two to trail just 69-66 with 1:14 to play.

It was then George who nailed the huge three to put his team up by six with 37 ticks on the clock. Echols returned the favor 12 seconds later with a trey of his own, but the Tigers were able to finish the game on the line taking the 76-69 win.

On the night, Hampden-Sydney was 22-52 (42.3%) from the field and 9-25 (36.0%) from beyond the arc. Lynchburg was 29-67 (43.3%) on the night and hit seven of its 23 three point attempts.

While George led all scorers and rebounders with 18 and 13, Lynchburg's Steven Echols was not far behind with 17 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.

The Tigers out rebounded Lynchburg 40-39 while getting five big rebounds from Hakeem Croom (Harlem, NY/Fishburne Military Academy) and King each.

The Tigers return home this Saturday, January 23, as they face the Generals of Washington and Lee. Tip off is set for 2:00 pm.