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Emory & Henry Men’s Basketball Topples Bluefield State, 96-89, Saturday In Season Opener

Gabe Brown shoots a three-pointer.

EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Men's Basketball Team (1-0, 0-0 SAC) took on Bluefield State University (0-1) to open its regular season schedule on Saturday afternoon. The Wasps picked up come-from-behind win by a 96-89 margin.

The Basics
FINAL SCORE – Emory & Henry 96,  Bluefield State 89
LOCATION – Emory, Virginia
VENUE – Bob Johnson Court at the John Rutledge King Center
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (1-0, 0-0 SAC); Bluefield State (0-1)

How It Happened
- The visitors got off to a hot start, as they jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. Bluefield State would continue to push their advantage as the score stood at 25-14 at the under 12 minute media timeout. The Wasps would respond in the later part of the opening half, drawing to within just five points at 30-25. A flurry of runs just before the half saw the score at 43-39 heading into the halftime break. 
- E&H came out of the locker room pushing the tempo as a quick 8-4 run evened things at 47-47 and forced a Bluefield State timeout. The Wasps continued to score in bunches, as they led 70-60 at the second media break of the half. The Big Blue would not go quietly, as they responded and took the lead at 80-79 with 3:50 remaining. The two squads traded buckets down the stretch and the score stood level at 89-89 heading into the final minute, but a 7-0 run by the Wasps was the deciding factor in the 96-89 victory. 

Emory & Henry Individual Leaders
- Sophomore guard/forward Gabe Brown (Clintwood, Va.) led the Wasps with 27 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Sophomore guard Jalen Leftwich (Lynchburg, Va.) contributed 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal.
- Sophomore forward Cade Looney (Grundy, Va.) posted a double-double with 15 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, two steals and an assist while senior guard Malcolm Morgan (Concord, N.C.) added 13 points, three assists and a steal. 

Bluefield State Individual Leaders
- Malik Tidwell led the Big Blue with 27 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals while teammate Kaine McColley added 15 points, three rebounds and an assist.
- Landry Palata had 12 points, six rebounds, two blocks and two assists in the loss.

A Deeper Look
- Emory & Henry shot 51.3 percent (39-for-76) from the field while Bluefield State made 32-of-76 (42.1%) of their shots. The home team hit five three-pointers in the contest, compared to 11for the Big Blue.
- The Wasps held a 47-36 rebounding advantage and a 68-38 lead on points in the paint.

Up Next
- Emory & Henry continues its season-opening homestand on Thursday when it plays host to the Pioneers of Malone University. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

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