HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA – Hampden-Sydney advanced to the ODAC Tournament Quarterfinals in Salem with a 69-60 win over ninth seeded Bridgewater College. The Tigers play top seed Lynchburg College at 1 pm on Friday. Ticket information will be forthcoming.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hampden-Sydney 69, Bridgewater 60
• Records: Hampden-Sydney 17-9; Bridgewater 7-18
• Location: Hampden-Sydney, VA – S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Hampden-Sydney looked to be on their way to another huge win as the Tigers started out the game on a 9-0 run over the first five minutes
• Bridgewater narrowed the deficit to six, 15-9, at 9:50, but seven straight H-SC points capped by a Jake Duncan (Williamsburg, VA/Williamsburg Christian) three pointer pushed the lead to 22-9 with 7:53 left on the first-half clock.
• H-SC led 33-20 with 2:05 to go until halftime, but Efe Balfour recorded the last three points of the half on free throws to make it a 33-23 at the half
• Balfour opened the half with a jumper to put Bridgewater down just eight, 33-25, but a 16-2 run by the Tigers blew the game wide open, making it a 49-27 Hampden-Sydney lead at 13:48
• Bridgewater didn't back down and went on a 17-3 run to make it just an eight-point game, 52-44, with 8:40 left in the contest.
• Mitch Owens (Williamsburg, VA/Walsingham) stepped up and hit a big jumper and three pointer to stem the momentum, but H-SC still led by just eight
• Back-to-back three pointers from Mike Murray (Norfolk, VA/Norfolk Christian) and Gray Cheers (Supply, NC/West Brunswick) saw the Tigers surge ahead by 14, 63-49, with 4:30 to play.
• Starting with a Jesse Case triple at 2:56, Bridgewater used a 11-2 spurt to find themselves down just five with 44 ticks left on the clock.
• With the Eagles forced to foul from there, Murray made all four of his free throw attempts down the stretch while Bridgewater went scoreless

TIGER TOP PERFORMERS

• Murray stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, and five steals
• Owens tallied 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists
• Guilherme Guimaraes (Ribeirão Preto, Brazil/Miller School), Duncan, and Cheers each scored nine points

FOR THE FOES

• Balfour led all players with 20 points and also added on five boards
• Case went 5-9 from three on his way to 17 points to go with five rebounds, four assists, but also six turnovers
• Kevin Saylor contributed 11 points, six caroms, and four assists

STATS OF THE GAME

• H-SC outrebound BC 34-27
• Turnovers proved to be a big difference as 13 Bridgewater turnovers resulted in 16 H-SC points while the Eagles mustered just seven points off 10 Hampden-Sydney turnovers
• Hampden-Sydney held a 30-20 advantage in points in the paint

UP NEXT

• The Tigers head off to Salem on Thursday evening for the annual ODAC Tournament Banquet and will square off against Lynchburg College on Friday at 1 pm in the first quarterfinal game.