BOX SCORE

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- All-American fifth-year guard and third-year team captain Adam Brazil (Mooresville, NC) scored 22 points, while junior forward and team captain Shane Fernald (Charlotte, NC) added 16 points, but nationally-ranked No. 7 Hampden-Sydney College dropped a 72-66 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinal to the University of Lynchburg on Wednesday night in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium in Kirby Field House. Junior guard and team captain Colin Radcliffe (Richlands, NC) added 10 points for the #2 seed Tigers who led 31-30 at halftime and dropped to 21-5 overall. The #7 seed Hornets outscored H-SC 23-16 over the final 6:04 and were led by Michael Gray with a game-high 31 points, including seven three-point field goals, while improving to 14-12.

"Kudos to Lynchburg, they played with more urgency and deserved to win," said sixth-year head coach Caleb Kimbrough. "This is a real gut check for our team. You never want to lose, but we will learn from it and be a better team next time we step on the court."

H-SC, ranked No. 8 in the latest NCAA Power Index (NPI) and No. 7 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, fell behind early as Lynchburg scored the first four points of the contest and led 12-7 at 14:45 with five quick points from Jake Hart. The Hornets led 20-13 with 9:26 left in the half after an old-fashioned three-point play by Piercen Young, and the visitors took their largest lead of the night at 27-18 following a three-pointer by Gray at 6:04. The Tigers, however, battled back and outscored Lynchburg 13-3 over the final 5:42 to take a 31-30 lead at halftime. Brazil sparked the outburst with nine points, including the final seven points of the half to five the Garnet & Grey their first lead at the intermission.

H-SC continued its momentum to begin the second half and took its largest lead of the contest at 44-38 with 12:26 remaining. Fernald scored seven points during the early going, while senior guard Ayman McGowan (Memphis, TN) knocked down a three-pointer, as well. Lynchburg, though, had other ideas and used a 9-2 run to lead 47-46 at 7:20, and the Hornets extended their run to 19-6 to lead 57-50 with 4:45 on the clock, getting eight points from Gray, including two three-pointers. The Tigers tried rallying late, but could not get closer than four points on six different occasions down the stretch … 57-53 at 4:19 after a layup by Fernald … 59-55 at 3:48 after another basket inside by Fernald … 61-57 at 3:19 after two free throws by Brazil … 64-60 at 2:30 after a three-pointer by freshman guard Tugg Bizzelle (Baltimore, MD) … 69-65 at 1:04 after an old-fashioned three-point play by Brazil … and 70-66 with 51-seconds left after a free throw by Brazil. Lynchburg secured its upset with 10-12 late free throws.

Brazil led H-SC with his 22 points, the 11th 20-point game of the season for the standout, adding four rebounds, three assists and one steal. Fernald finished with his 16 points for the Tigers, adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Radcliffe contributed his 10 points off the bench, adding three rebounds, while Bizzelle had nine points and a career-high six rebounds. Senior guard Nick Shryock (Davidson, NC) had a game-high 10 rebounds, along with two points, two steals, one assist and one block. H-SC shot 40% (24-60) from the field, including 29% (7-24) on three-pointers, and 61% (11-18) at the free throw line.

Gray led Lynchburg with his game-high 31 points, including 7-19 three-pointers, adding five rebounds and game-highs of four assists and three steals. Young finished with 12 points and five rebounds for the Hornets. Lynchburg shot 37% (23-63) from the field, including 27% (8-30) on three-pointers, and 69% (18-26) at the line—for the difference in the game with its plus-seven margin on free throws.

H-SC still anticipates an at-large invitation to the upcoming NCAA Tournament, and invites everyone to the Watch Party for the official NCAA Selection Show on Monday, March 3, at 12 p.m. in the Tiger Inn.

Lynchburg advances to the semifinals of the 2025 ODAC Tournament to play nationally-ranked No. 19 Roanoke College in the semifinals on Saturday, March 1, at 4:30 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center in Salem.