HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA – Several reserves played big off the bench to key a 61-53 win over Bridgewater College on Saturday afternoon. Hampden-Sydney is now 13-7 overall and 6-5 in the ODAC while the Eagles fall to 10-11, 5-7.

Hampden-Sydney scored the first five points of the game, but Bridgewater answered with seven of their own, foreshadowing what would be a tight first half for the entire 20 minutes. Neither team would lead by more than six in the opening frame that was filled with several ties and lead changes, but H-SC went into the half up four.

The first 6:12 of the second half proved to be much the same as the first, and H-SC found themselves with the lead 39-36 at 13:48. Six consecutive Tiger points, highlighted by a Josh Katowitz (Raleigh, NC/Heritage) no-look, behind-the-back pass to Alex Smith (Whitsett, NC/T. Wingate Andrews) provided the Tigers their largest lead of the game at that point at 45-36, prompting a timeout for the Eagles. While Bridgewater scored the next three points, the timeout wasn't effective in turning around the momentum as the Tigers continued the run to the tune of a 19-5 spurt over nine minutes, giving H-SC 58-41 lead with 4:56 to play. Despite the large deficit, the Eagles would not give up and utilized a 12-3 run over the next three-and-a-half minutes to find themselves trailing by just eight, 61-53, with 1:28 left on the clock. Neither team managed to score the rest of the way as Bridgewater opted against trying to extend the game with fouls.

Smith scored a career-high 13 points as he shot 6-7 from the floor, and Katowitz chipped in with seven points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Guilherme Guimarães(Ribeirão Preto, Brazil / Miller School)corralled a game-high 11 boards to go with five points, and Mitch Owens (Williamsburg, VA/Walsingham) chipped in with 10 points. Greg Lewis (Mechanicsville, VA/Hanover) added on 10 points and four rebounds, Jake Duncan (Williamsburg, VA/Williamsburg Christian) contributed eight points and six caroms, and Leon Hargrove (Raleigh, NC/Middle Creek) posted eight points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

Ed Reddick paced the Eagles with 14 points and nine rebounds but was limited to a 4-for-12 shooting performance. Kyle Welty posted 11 points and eight boards, and Logan Seacrist added on 13.

Hampden-Sydney held Bridgewater to a 35.1% output from the field and went just 25% behind the three-point line. The Tigers held a decisive 42-33 edge on the boards and controlled the paint 32-22 along with 28 points off the bench.

Hampden-Sydney hosts Emory & Henry College on Monday at 7 pm.