For immediate release – 2/9/13 -- #237

Hernandez Nets Career-High 29 as Hornets Finish off Wasps 91-79

EMORY, VA—Junior Manny Hernandez scored a career-high 29 points as the Lynchburg College men's basketball team defeated Emory & Henry College, 91-79, in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action on Saturday.

Lynchburg got off to a blazing start after the Wasps tied up the contest at 8-8. The Hornets went on a 23-2 run over the next six minutes to assume control of the contest.

Six different Hornets scored during the run as the defensive effort on the other end of the floor forced E&H into eight turnovers in the short period of time.

Lynchburg finished off the run on a three-pointer by senior Brandan Connor with nine minutes remaining in the first half to make the score 31-10, LC's largest lead of the game.

The Wasps cut into the lead the remainder of the game, getting it back to single digits as the second half got started. A three-pointer by Stephen Brown five minutes into the second half gave E&H its second lead of the game, 51-50, with the first coming on the initial basket of the game.

Hernandez answered Brown with one of his six three-pointers in the game to give the lead back to LC on its next possession.  A pair of free throws by Hernandez extended the Hornet lead to four, 55-51, following a failed scoring attempt by the Wasps.

Brown knocked down another three to narrow the gap, but Lynchburg would not relinquish the lead, expanding the gap to 17 with eight minutes remaining.

Hernandez added five boards to go along with his career-high point total while freshman Alex Graves added nine points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Myles Turner led Emory & Henry (4-18/2-12) with 19 points while Charles Smith and Armando Murrell added 12 each.

Lynchburg (18-5/9-5) returns home Wednesday, February 13 for an ODAC matchup against cross-town rival, Randolph College (19-4/10-4). Scheduled tip-off for Senior Night will be at 7 p.m.