NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- On the final day of the 2011 CNU/Point Plaza Invitational, the Christopher Newport University Captains (4-2) used hot shooting in the second half to surge past the Washington & Lee Generals (4-2), 76-66. The Captains shot 53.6% (15-28) after the break, led by senior Conley Taylor and sophomore Tra Benefield in the win.

The Captains raced out to a 10-2 lead behind six points from rookie forward Nik Biberaj, but the rest of the first half was a back-and-forth affair, with ten lead changes and a pair of tie scores. CNU struggled from the field in the first, knocking down just 13 of 42 field goal attempts for 31% shooting, but managed to hold the Generals to just a one-point halftime lead, 37-36.

Washington & Lee shot 41.2% in the first, on 14-of-34 shooting, led by Jeremy Adkins with 11 points. J.D. Ey also had a stellar first half grabbing seven boards and connecting on four blocks to keep the Captains at bay.

In the second half, the Captains found their stroke on the offensive end, hitting at a much better 53.6% clip. Leading the charge was Taylor, scoring 15 second-half points, and Benefield, with 10 after halftime. CNU took the lead, 39-37, on a three-pointer by Taylor for the first score of the half, and would not look back.

CNU held the lead at two possessions for most of the second half, building a double-digit lead for the first time in the contest with 4:10 remaining, 68-58, on trey by rookie Mike Cherry. A fast-break layup from Taylor with 1:35 remaining would give the Captains its biggest lead of the game, at 13, and CNU would hold on to win by 10, 76-66.

Adkins finished with 18 points for Washington & Lee, adding six rebounds, while reserve Javon McDonald also chipped in 18 for the Generals. J.D. Ey grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and finished with the four blocks with two steals. W&L finished shooting 36.2% (21-58) after hitting just seven buckets in the second half for a shooting percentage of 29.2%.

Taylor had a game-high 24 points with five rebounds and four assists. All five starters had at least five rebounds in the game, and four finished in double-figure scoring. Benefield had 14 points paired with seven rebounds, and Luc Atangana finished with 12 points, 7 boards and 5 assists.

The Captains next game will feature a nationally-ranked opponent in St. Mary's College (Md.) on Thursday at 7:30 pm. CNU hosts the 15th ranked Seahawks (3-2) in the Freeman Center on Thursday night.