Dec 01, 2010
Even with Saturday's match against No. 7 Randolph-Macon looming, the Runnin Royals would not be caught looking past Hampden-Sydney Wednesday at home. Eastern Mennonite displayed some of its best defense of the season and led a talented Tiger squad by double figures much of the game en route to a 79-63 thumping.
Orie Pancione (Augusta, WV/Hampshire) and Eli Crawford (Staunton, Va./R.E. Lee) spearheaded the offense early as the men scored the first eight points of the game. Pancione scored the first four and assisted Crawford for the next four. Crawford also had an assist in the span.
Hampden-Sydney regrouped and hung around for a few minutes before the Runnin Royals erupted on an 11-0 run. George Johnson (Richmond, Va./Miller School) capped the push with a lay-up to make 26-10 with 9:02 left in the half.
The Tigers trimmed the lead back down 11, but the men closed the period on a 7-0 run, taking a 43-25 lead into halftime.
Coach Kirby Dean said the first-half defense, which forced 16 H-SC turnovers, keyed the entire game.
"That's the most intense defense we've played all year," he said.
The Tigers never got closer than 13 in the second half, as the Runnin Royals rolled out with the 79-63 win.
Todd Phillips (Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro) exemplified the balanced effort as he finished with team highs of 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. He also spent much of the evening guarding Hampden-Sydney's best player, reigning ODAC Player-of-the-Week, Harrison George (Raleigh, NC/Leesville). George finished with 16 points, nearly six points below his conference-leading average of 21.8 per game.
Phillips also finished the night with 999 career points. With his next tally he will join fellow seniors Johnson and D.J. Hinson (Newport News, Va./Menchville) as the 19th Royal in the 1,000-point club.
Four other Runnin Royals scored in double figures. Johnson came in with 14 while Pancione finished with 11. Hinson had 13 and a game high three steals.
Freshman R.J. Sims (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly) quietly scored 10 points, the third time in six games this season where he scored in double figures.
Eastern Mennonite had 18 assists on their 29 field goals.
"That's the most unselfishly we've played offensively," Coach Dean said. "We had guys penetrating for their teammates and not for themselves, and that's what we've been preaching to them."
EMU shot 46% in the win, including 7-for-19 from long range. They were also 14-18 from the free throw line. Hampden-Sydney shot 39% from the floor and were also undone by their 28 turnovers.
The Tigers did have a 39-27 edge in rebounding.
Eastern Mennonite, ranked third in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, moves to 6-0 with the win, including 2-0 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Runnin Royals next match up with No. 7 Randolph-Macon, which enters on a two-game losing skid after falling to Virginia Wesleyan at home Wednesday night.
Game time Saturday is at 7:00pm. Doors open at 6:00pm.
Orie Pancione (Augusta, WV/Hampshire) and Eli Crawford (Staunton, Va./R.E. Lee) spearheaded the offense early as the men scored the first eight points of the game. Pancione scored the first four and assisted Crawford for the next four. Crawford also had an assist in the span.
Hampden-Sydney regrouped and hung around for a few minutes before the Runnin Royals erupted on an 11-0 run. George Johnson (Richmond, Va./Miller School) capped the push with a lay-up to make 26-10 with 9:02 left in the half.
The Tigers trimmed the lead back down 11, but the men closed the period on a 7-0 run, taking a 43-25 lead into halftime.
Coach Kirby Dean said the first-half defense, which forced 16 H-SC turnovers, keyed the entire game.
"That's the most intense defense we've played all year," he said.
The Tigers never got closer than 13 in the second half, as the Runnin Royals rolled out with the 79-63 win.
Todd Phillips (Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro) exemplified the balanced effort as he finished with team highs of 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. He also spent much of the evening guarding Hampden-Sydney's best player, reigning ODAC Player-of-the-Week, Harrison George (Raleigh, NC/Leesville). George finished with 16 points, nearly six points below his conference-leading average of 21.8 per game.
Phillips also finished the night with 999 career points. With his next tally he will join fellow seniors Johnson and D.J. Hinson (Newport News, Va./Menchville) as the 19th Royal in the 1,000-point club.
Four other Runnin Royals scored in double figures. Johnson came in with 14 while Pancione finished with 11. Hinson had 13 and a game high three steals.
Freshman R.J. Sims (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly) quietly scored 10 points, the third time in six games this season where he scored in double figures.
Eastern Mennonite had 18 assists on their 29 field goals.
"That's the most unselfishly we've played offensively," Coach Dean said. "We had guys penetrating for their teammates and not for themselves, and that's what we've been preaching to them."
EMU shot 46% in the win, including 7-for-19 from long range. They were also 14-18 from the free throw line. Hampden-Sydney shot 39% from the floor and were also undone by their 28 turnovers.
The Tigers did have a 39-27 edge in rebounding.
Eastern Mennonite, ranked third in the latest D3hoops.com national poll, moves to 6-0 with the win, including 2-0 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Runnin Royals next match up with No. 7 Randolph-Macon, which enters on a two-game losing skid after falling to Virginia Wesleyan at home Wednesday night.
Game time Saturday is at 7:00pm. Doors open at 6:00pm.