HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA - The #14 Hampden-Sydney Basketball team struggled out the gates in its season opener but dominated in the second half to beat the Washington College Shoremen 84-59.

H-SC started off struggling with ball security, recording turnovers on four of its first five possessions, and the visiting Shoremen took advantage to go up 9-0 less than three minutes in as Head Coach Dee Vick was forced to call an early timeout.

The timeout got the game settled down and rounded up the troops as the Tigers scored 11 straight points, including four layups, to go ahead 11-9 at the 15:01 mark. Following two Stephen Poarch free throws to tie the game, a free throw from Alex Smith (Whitsett, NC / T. Wingate Andrews) and Leon Hargrove (Raleigh, NC / Middle Creek) along with a Kodie Critzer (Charlottesville, VA / St. Anne's-Belfield) three-ball gave H-SC a 16-11 advantage with 12:33 to go in the first stanza.

The Tigers continued to gradually build the lead and took a seven-point advantage, 27-20, with 8:24 on the clock, but an 8-0 Washington College spurt in just under four minutes put Washington back ahead by 28-27 at the 5:21 mark. Neither team would lead by more than two the rest of the first half, but a Stephen Vassor (Roanoke Rapids, NC / Brunswick (VA)) tip-in with 1:13 left provided the 34-32 Tigers lead at intermission.

H-SC came out of halftime to dominate. After a Khobi Williamson (Norfolk, VA / Maury) layup gave H-SC a 38-34 lead, Washington's leading scorer Poarch was whistled for a foul and was given a technical foul, a critical foul as it was his fifth of the game, thus fouling him out. Hampden-Sydney took advantage as Williamson made both technical free throws and scored seven of the next nine to go ahead 47-35 with 16:39 left in the contest.

WAC kept it close over the next four minutes, trailing 49-41 at the 12:16 mark, but the Tigers put the game away from there. Critzer made a layup to go along with two Williamson free throws, but the big back breaker proved to be consecutive dunks from Williamson and Hargrove as H-SC went up 57-41 and continued to pour it on, going on a 24-3 run over seven minutes to put the game well out of reach at 73-44 with 5:27 remaining.

Greg Lewis (Mechanicsville, VA / Hanover) finished with a game-high 20 points, making 8-of-12 field goal attempts with a 4-8 performance from three. Williamson posted a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Mike Murray (Norfolk, VA / Norfolk Christian) contributed eight points and eight assists while JaVonte Reddick (Richmond, VA / L.C. Bird) posted 10 points in his collegiate debut. Vassor played in his first contest, posting six points, six rebounds, and a highlight reel blocked shot.

No players scored in double digits for the Shoremen as four different plays contributed eight points apiece.

H-SC shot 29-56 (51.8%) overall, 8-19 (42.1%) from three, and 18-27 (66.7%) from the charity stripe. Washington went 17-54 (31.5%), 6-26 (23.1%), and 19-30 (63.3%). Hampden-Sydney held a 50-27 advantage on the boards.

Hampden-Sydney will host the ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center South Region Classic on Friday and Saturday.