MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Emory & Henry College Men's Basketball Team (6-5) picked up a 78-68 win on Wednesday afternoon over the host Rhodes College Lynx (5-5) in the Rhodes Classic. It marked the fourth win in a row for the Wasps which is the longest streak since they reeled off four straight during the fourth week of January in 2007. E&H is also above .500 at the end of December for the first time since the 2011-12 season when it boasted a similar 6-5 record.
Emory & Henry, which led from wire-to-wire, got out to an 8-2 lead just 2:30 into the game. The Wasps extended their lead to 13 (17-4) at the 14:07 mark of the first half before the Lynx woke up, cutting the margin to 23-21 six and a half minutes later. The Wasps closed the final four minutes of the half on a 10-5 run for a 40-32 lead at the break.
Coming out of the intermission, E&H went back up by 13 points by scoring six of the first seven points of the second half, 46-33. The Lynx got back within five with 13:19 left to play but a 16-5 run covering 5:34 by the Wasps put them soundly in control of the contest. Rhodes put up nine-straight points to get within seven with just under five minutes left, but could not get any closer as Emory & Henry claimed the 78-68 win.
E&H saw four players reach double figures in scoring, including three off the bench, led by freshman guard Clif Conley (Galax, Va.), who had 14 points and three steals. Sophomore forward Chase Branscomb (Bristol, Tenn.) had 13 points and four rebounds while sophomore guard John Shelor (Giles, Va.) added 12 points, four assists and three steals. Freshman forward Alic Wynn (Asheville, N.C.) posted 10 points and six rebounds while junior guard Ryan Gravley (Austinville, Va.) pitched in seven points, seven assists and three steals.
As a team, the Wasps shot 50.9 percent (28-for-55) from the field, hitting seven three-pointers. Emory & Henry was a season-best 15-for-17 (88.2%) from the free throw line, led the battle for points off turnovers, 33-20, and held a 42-21 advantage on bench scoring.
Rhodes was paced by Brennan Sullivan's 21 points as he hit four threes while Daniel Galvin contributed 13 points and two assists. Tyler Lee had nine points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals while Andrew Lowrie also added nine points. The Lynx went 44.4 percent (24-for-54) on field goals and held a 33-32 rebounding advantage, including a 15 11 lead on the offensive glass. Rhodes led, 23-6, on second-chance points, but 21 turnovers and sharp shooting by E&H proved to be too much.
Emory & Henry will return home on Tuesday, January 5 when it hosts Lynchburg College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15