GREENSBORO, N.C. – Jarrod Rogers' driving layup with 5.7 seconds left in regulation gave Guilford College a 70-68 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball win over visiting Eastern Mennonite University Saturday. The Quakers (8-5, 3-1 ODAC) overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to collect their fourth win in five games.
Guilford trailed, 40-28, at halftime after the Royals (4-6, 1-3 ODAC) connected on 12-of-23 three-point shots in the opening half. The Quakers got the ball inside in the second half and gradually got back into the game. Rookie forward Alston Thompson scored six of his 10 second-half points during a 16-6 Guilford run that ended with a Rogers' three-pointer to tie the game at 48-48.
Eastern Mennonite's Maleke Jones answered with the fourth of his game-high five three-pointers. After a John Bryant free throw, the Royals' Christian Hansen drove and scored to give the guests a 53-49 edge with 12 minutes left.
Over the next four minutes and 20 seconds Guilford outscored the Royals, 14-3. Thompson scored four points in the decisive run and the Quakers did not trail for the rest of the game.
Eastern Mennonite rallied and tied the game with for the third and final time with 1:38 to play. A Maleke Jones three-pointer made 68-67 with 2:17 remaining and his free throw 41 seconds later tied the score at 68. However, the Royals could not take advantage of two Guilford turnovers in the final minute.
After Rogers' go-ahead score with 5.7 seconds left, both teams took time outs. Eastern Mennonite inbounded to Jones, who drove the court and took an off-balanced jumper near the free-throw line that bounced out as time expired.
Guilford's Will Freeman led four Quakers in double-figure scoring with 12 points. Thompson finished with 11 points, 10 in the second half, and nine rebounds. Rogers and Carson Long both scored 10 points. The Quakers' Trevor Mayo chipped in eight points and set a game- and career-best 11 rebounds. Zachary Houston had five assists and added nine boards to help Guilford outrebound Eastern Mennonite, 52-39. The Quakers outscored the Royals in the paint, 44-18, and collected 21 of the game's 34 second-chance points.
Eastern Mennonite's Jones led all scorers with 19 points and made five-of-eight three-pointers. Tariq Caldwell added 11 points and three trifectas off the bench. Sammy Thomas shared game-high honors with 11 caroms for the Royals, who shot 14-for-32 from long range, but just two-of-nine from beyond the arc in the second half.
Coach Tom Palombo's Quakers visit Emory & Henry College Wednesday (1/13) at 7:00 p.m.