LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg College Men's Basketball Team (13-5, 6-3 ODAC) outscored Emory & Henry College (10-8, 4-5 ODAC) by a 41-28 margin in the second half en route to a 73-53 victory Wednesday evening at Turner Gymnasium. With the victory, the Hornets avenge a 86-80 loss to the Wasps earlier in the month.
Emory & Henry would lead 5-2 early in the game, but a 12-0 run by Lynchburg made the score 14-5 with 12:00 to go in the first half. The Wasps responded to retake the lead, 24-23, later in the half after a 19-9 scoring spurt that covered 8:14. LC completed the half on a 9-1 run for a 32-25 advantage at intermission.
After the break, the two teams traded baskets as the Hornets attempted to pull away but were unable to do so early. Up by nine with 13:45 on the clock, Lynchburg scored the next 13 points to get ahead by a 58-36 margin. Emory & Henry trimmed the deficit to 15 in the final five minutes of the contest, but would get no closer as LC went on to win 73-53.
A.J. Hamilton led all players with 15 points off the bench for the Hornets, going five-for-eight from the field with a pair of three-pointers. Alex Graves pitched in 12 points, three rebounds and seven blocks while Austen Arnold notched nine points and five boards. Lyndon White added eight points, six rebounds and eight assists and Zack Burnett notched seven points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.
As a team, Lynchburg shot 47.3 percent (26-for-55) from the floor, leading by a 34-16 margin on points in the paint. The Hornets led a 44-34 rebounding advantage and led 18-13 on points off turnovers.
Emory & Henry was paced by junior guard Ryan Gravley's (Austinville, Va.) 14 points and five rebounds. Junior forward Brandon Self (Norfolk, Va.) had eight points and five rebounds while senior guard Kevin Anzenberger (Concord, N.C.) and sophomore forward Chase Branscomb (Bristol, Tenn.) added seven points each off the bench. Branscomb chipped in seven rebounds as well for the Wasps.
E&H managed just a 17-for-56 (30.4%) shooting effort in the game and missed all six of its three-point attempts after halftime. The Wasps went 15-for-22 (68.2%) at the free throw line but were outmatched down low by the Hornets.
Emory & Henry will look to get back on track on Saturday when it hosts Randolph-Macon College at 2:00 p.m. The game will be the first of a doubleheader with the Wasp women taking on Virginia Wesleyan College at approximately 4:30 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15