HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA - Hampden-Sydney got off to another slow start in the first-half but rebounded to take a 61-41 win at home against Washington & Lee in ODAC action on Saturday afternoon.
With H-SC having a 4-2 lead at the 17:24 mark, the Generals utilized a 12-1 run over the next four minutes to go up 14-5 with just over 10 minutes to go in the half. Harrison George (Raleigh, NC / Leesville Road) was then inserted into the lineup for the first time and the complexion of the game changed from there. Greg Lewis (Mechanicsville, VA / Hanover) got the comeback started with a jumper while Cam Anderson(Charlottesville, VA / Blue Ridge) added a jump shot of his own to make it 14-9 at 6:16. George followed with the Tigers first three pointer of the day, and Leon Hargrove (Raleigh, NC / Middle Creek) converted on a layup to tie the game at 14-14 with 4:34 left in the half to finish off a 9-0 Tiger run.
Larry Whitaker put a temporary stop to the Tiger spurt with a layup to put the Generals back up 16-14. Khobi Williamson (Norfolk, VA / Maury) tied the game again on a layup then he provided the highlight of the game, grabbing a steal then going coast-to-coast for a thunderous dunk. W&L turned over the ball against the full court press, leading to a George three-point play to give H-SC a 21-16 advantage at 1:45. Andrew Franz ended the half with two layups to provide the 21-20 H-SC lead going in to intermission.
Washington & Lee briefly took the lead on a JD Ey layup to start the half, but a minute later Fletcher Lumpkin (Richmond, VA / Mills Godwin) converted on a leaping tip-in off a George missed jump shot to give H-SC the lead for good at 23-22. Lewis scored the game's next basket on a layup, and Ey scored a layup of his own to keep it a one-point game, 25-24, at 16:35. However, that would be the closest it would be for the rest of the game. The Tigers scored 17 of the next 18 points to effectively clinch the game up 42-25 with 12 minutes remaining in the contest as the Generals were never able to shave the lead to less than 13 points.
Lewis contributed game-highs of 13 points and four steals as well as adding on three rebounds. George added a 10 point, 10 rebound double-double while Williamson posted 10 points and four boards. Keegan Wetzel (Mebane, NC / Eastern Alamance) tacked on nine points, three assists, two steals, two blocks, and two caroms while Anderson posted seven points and six rebounds.
Kevin Gill led Washington & Lee with eight points. Javon McDonald, the Generals leading scorer at over 14 points coming in to the contest, was held to zero points on 0-5 shooting.
Hampden-Sydney shot 37% for the game, but converted at a 44% clip in the second half, while Washington & Lee made 33% of their shots. The Generals came into the contest shooting around 40% from three but made just three from deep range to finish at 13%. The Tigers had a strong day at the free throw line, making 12 of their 13 attempts. H-SC outrebounded W&L 43-30 and forced 21 turnovers, leading to 18 points off turnovers.
Hampden-Sydney hosts Randolph-Macon on Wednesday at 7 pm. Admission to the game is FREE.