For immediate release – 12/3/2014 - #188
Hornets Move to 6-0 with ODAC Opening Victory over Randolph

LYNCHBURG, VA – The Lynchburg College men's basketball team moved to 6-0 with a 76-57 victory over Randolph College in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) opener for both teams on Wednesday night.

The victory moves the Hornets to 6-0 to open a season for the first time since Lynchburg began keeping game-by-game statistics in the 1980-81 campaign.

Randolph jumped out to the quick start over the Hornets, as Lucas Smith and Gordon Rogo combined for seven points to stake the WildCats a 7-6 lead five minutes in.

Lyndon White got the Hornets the lead on a jump shot, but Randolph would score the next six on a pair of Zach Desgain free throws, a three-pointer from Corey Brown, and one from the charity stripe by Evan Horn for a 13-8 lead.

An 11-0 Lynchburg allowed the Hornets to take a commanding 20-13 lead with 6:33 left in the half. Randolph was able to cut the gap to three, 25-22, on a jumper by Rogo, but would get no closer. A pair of two-pointers by Omar Kemp and Austen Arnold and a three by Daniel Rowe gave LC a 32-22 halftime edge.

Lynchburg continued to pull away in the second half as Rowe nailed a three to start the second stanza. The Hornets jumped out to a 44-29 lead before the visitors made another charge.

The WildCats cut into the gap to get within seven on a pair of Rogo free throws with 10 minutes remaining but would not have a final rally until late already trailing by 17.

Randolph, down 63-46, went on a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 65-55 with three minutes left but the momentum quickly swung back to the Hornets.

Alex Graves scored three points for the Hornets to extend it to 13, and following a Rogo layup, Arnold threw down an impressive reverse dunk to get the crowd back into the game.

Four free throws by Rowe and two from Zack Burnett closed out the contest.

Arnold led the Hornets with game highs of 22 points and eight rebounds while Graves contributed 16 points, seven boards and four blocks. Rowe finished with 13 points on three three-pointers as Burnett added 11 points on the night.

Brown led the WildCats (3-2/0-1) with 14 points as Smith added eight.

Lynchburg (6-0/1-0) travels to Randolph-Macon College for an important conference matchup Saturday at 2 p.m.