For immediate release – 1/26/2015 - #233
Hornets put Scare into No. 8 Randolph-Macon, fall in Final Seconds 72-68

LYNCHBURG, VA – Randolph-Macon College scored the final four points of Saturday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) contest as the Yellow Jackets managed to fight off the Lynchburg College men's basketball team 72-68.

The game was tied at 68 when Chris Hamilton pulled up from the left baseline and scored with 27 seconds left. Joe Hassell came up with a steal on LC's next possession and Lamont Moore knocked down a pair of free throws to go up four with five seconds remaining.

Macon led the majority of the first half, going up by as many as eight, 18-10, at the 11:20 mark on a three-pointer by Mike Silverthorn.

The Hornets closed the gap, tying up the contest at 20-all in large part because of a defensive intensity that held the Yellow Jackets to just two points on a pair of free throws over the next six minutes. Austen Arnold started the run when his three-pointer cut the gap to five, 18-13. Following the free throws, Zack Burnett knocked down a jumper just outside the lane and a trifecta to get Lynchburg within two points. Omar Kemp's layup on the next possession made it 20-20 with 6:06 remaining.

The Yellow Jackets pulled ahead again, leading by as much as five, but Lynchburg clawed back into the contest, taking its first lead, 35-34, at 1:46 on a Daniel Rowe three-pointer.

Macon led by two to start the second half when Rowe's only other three in the game got the lead back for the Hornets. He followed it up with a jumper for the three-point edge of 41-38.

Hamilton tied up the contest for the fourth time on the next possession for Macon. Lynchburg did a decent job of holding down Hamilton, R-MC's leading scorer, limiting him to 11 points and just two rebounds.

Neither team led by more than two points until the midway point in the second half when Randolph-Macon used an 8-1 run to take a 57-50 lead with 9:55 remaining.

Alex Graves caught fire at that point, scoring the next five points for the Hornets to close the gap again as Macon managed just a pair of Marcus Badger free throws. Lyndon White's three pulled Lynchburg back to 59-58 with 8:04 to play.

Following a Hassell layup, Lynchburg got back-to-back baskets from Burnett and White to take put LC in front 62-61 at 6:28. It would be the last time the Hornets would lead.

The Hornets made a final run after Hassell made a layup with four minutes left to net Macon a 68-64 advantage.

Rowe knocked down a pair of free throws at 2:43 before Graves converted on a pair from the charity stripe to tie it up with 42 seconds left. The LC defense was smothering down the stretch, but Hamilton's key basket at the end and final free throws by Moore ended it for Lynchburg.

Randolph-Macon (17-2/10-0 ODAC) was led by Badger's 16 points, six assists and four steals. Holmes contributed 12 points off the bench while Hassell added 11 and seven boards.

Lynchburg was paced by Graves' 22-point effort. He added 11 boards for his fifth double-double of the year and second against Macon. He also contributed a career high with six blocks on the afternoon. Burnett poured in 19 points while Rowe finished with 10.

Lynchburg (11-8/4-6) travels to Emory & Henry College (3-15/2-7) Wednesday for a 7 p.m. ODAC tip.