GREENSBORO, NC --- In a game full of wild swings, host Guilford had the final say, getting a long range three pointer at the buzzer to hold off the Eastern Mennonite men 67-64. The loss was the first of the season for the Royals, dropping them to 4-1, and negated a spirited comeback which had erased an 11-point deficit.
The Quakers scored on the first possession of the game and led by as many as five. But EMU put on the defensive clamps to close the first half on an emphatic note. The Runnin Royals held GC without a bucket over the final 9:48 and without a point over the final 8:18. During that span, the men ended on a 16-1 run, including the final 14, to grab a 36-23 lead at halftime.
The men forced 13 turnovers in the first half. Guilford quickly recovered from their cold ending, however, and opened the second half on a 36-12 run. At one point, the Quakers scored 16 unanswered to grab the lead. The surge ended with the home team up 59-48 with 5:41 left to play.
The Runnin Royals then rode their interior players to a comeback. Andrew Thorne (Front Royal, VA/Skyline) and David Falk (Madison, VA/Madison) combined for four offensive rebounds over the final 2:52 to ignite a 16-5 run. Ryan Yates (Alexandria, VA/T.C. Williams) also had a key blocked shot with 49 seconds to go.
After Guilford made just one of two free throws with 14 seconds left, Thorne drained a triple from the right corner to finish the run and knot up the score at 64-64.
The Quakers called a timeout with just 4.7 seconds remaining. All-ODAC First Teamer Josh Pittman then dribbled up the right side of the floor and launched a shot through a double team from 30 feet at buzzer. The prayer hit nothing but net, allowing Guilford to escape with the 67-64 decision.
EMU was out-shot 47% to 36%, including 57% to 33% in the second half. But the men had 18 offensive rebounds, including 12 in the final period, to trigger the comeback. Neither team shot well from the free throw line, with Guilford going 7-15 compared to 7-16 for the Royals.
Thorne was in foul trouble during Guilford's second-half run, but finished strong and led Eastern Mennonite with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He had five offensive boards and added three assists. Yates knocked in 15 counters and was one of three men with two blocks.
R.J. Sims (Fort Washington, MD/Friendly) had 11 points and a game high four steals. Falk finished with 10 points and two blocked shots.
Pittman led Guilford with 26 points, including the game-winning shot.
After their first loss of the year, the Runnin Royals will try to regroup at Roanoke this Saturday afternoon. Game time is at 2:00pm.