HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA – Hampden-Sydney Basketball led by as many as 14 points in the second half, but it was a one-point game with a minute to go and the Tigers clinched the game in the last 30 seconds on free throws to defeat Emory & Henry 87-83.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hampden-Sydney 87, Emory & Henry 83
• Records:
• Location: Hampden-Sydney, VA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first half was bac and forth with several lead changes and neither team led by more than four points, but the Wasps went into halftime up 38-36.
• Hampden-Sydney came out on fire to open the second half, going on a 21-5 run to surge ahead 57-43 at the 15:33 mark, carried by 12 points from Jake Duncan (Williamsburg, VA / Williamsburg Christian)
• E&H managed to trim the deficit down to eight a few times, but H-SC led by 12, 69-57, with 7:36 left in the contest.
• From there, the Wasps began scorching the net from three-point range
• Myles Turner got the comeback started with a three-pointer at 6:34, and Clif Conley followed with one at the six minute mark to put the Wasps down 69-63.
• Trailing seven at 4:28, the Wasps drained a three-pointer on three of their next four possessions to take at 76-75 lead at 2:17
• Duncan responded with a triple of his own to take back the lead for H-SC with 90 seconds to play
• Chase Branscomb got fouled driving to the basket on the next Wasp possession but made just one of two, and Mitch Owens (Williamsburg, VA / Walsingham) scored on a driving layup to give H-SC an 80-77 lead with 53 ticks left on the clock.
• Conley missed a three-pointer at the 42-second mark, and Mike Murray (Norfolk, VA / Norfolk Christian) secured the rebound and was fouled as he went to the free throw line in the bonus
• Murray missed the first free throw attempt, but Andrew Evans (Raleigh, NC / Millbrook) skied for the offensive rebound. He was fouled just seconds later and made one of two attempts to keep H-SC ahead 81-77 with 30 seconds left
• Turner missed a three pointer, and Evans grabbed the defensive board, got fouled, and made both chippies to push the advantage to 83-77 at 16 seconds.
• Conley drained a three at eight seconds, and following a timeout, the Tigers nearly turned over the ball on the inbounds pass, but the ball was deflected out by a Wasp. The next inbounds pass went deep into the frontcourt where Murray grabbed it, was fouled, and made both free throws to give H-SC a five-point lead, 85-80, with four seconds to go.
• Conley then drained a three just past halfcourt, but time still remained on the clock, and H-SC got fouled with 0.5 seconds left after inbounding the ball. Murray made both free throw attempts to seal the game

TIGER TOP PERFORMERS

• Duncan scored a team-high 21 points as he made 8-of-11 of his field goal attempts and 4-of-6 from three range
• Murray totaled 18 points and three assists
• Owens posted 15 points as he shot 6-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-4 beyond the arc
• Guilherme Guimaraes (Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) contributed 11 points, making all four shot attempts
• Evans tacked on seven points but the six-foot guard reeled in a game and career-high 11 rebounds, five more rebounds than any other player on the court
• Josh Katowitz (Raleigh, NC / Heritage) had seven points, four boards, a team-high three assists, and two steals

FOR THE FOES

• Turner filled the box score with 24 points, eights assists, and six rebounds
• John Shelor posted 14 points as he connected on four threes
• Conley made five of his shot shots, all from three, to score 16 points in 16 minutes with three steals
• Branscomb added on 10 points

STATS OF THE GAME

• Emory & Henry drained eight three pointers in the last seven minutes
• Both teams were lighting it up from three range as E&H went 16-30 and H-SC was 10-21
• Hampden-Sydney shot over 50% for the fourth time this season as they made 54% of their shots compared to a 49% mark for Emory & Henry
• The Tigers had a decided advantage on the free throw line, going 17-of-24 while the Wasps struggled at 9-of-16
• H-SC controlled the paint, holding a 30-14 advantage in points in the paint
• There were 11 ties and eight lead changes

UP NEXT

• The Tigers take a break for two weeks for exams as they return to the court on the December 19 for the two-day Luck Stone Holiday Tournament.
• H-SC faces Immaculata at 5 pm and William Peace battles Albright in the second game