For immediate release – 2/21/2015 - #273
Arnold's Big Second Half Leads Hornets Past Foul Trouble, Bridgewater 77-74

BRIDGEWATER, VA –Junior Austen Arnold scored 23 of his team-high 26 points in the second half of Saturday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) game as the Lynchburg College men's basketball team overcame foul trouble to defeat Bridgewater College 77-74.

The Hornets trailed 35-33 at the half, but kept the game within striking distance behind a 13-for-16 effort at the charity stripe while sending the Eagles to the line just seven times, making five.

Lynchburg fell behind 41-37 three minutes into the final half when Kyle Welty connected on a pair of free throws for the Eagles. Bridgewater would go scoreless for the next five minutes until Ed Reddick scored a layup, ending a 10-0 Hornet run while shortening the BC deficit to four, 47-43, with less than 12 minutes to play.

Alex Graves got the ball inside and scored on Lynchburg's next possession, but Bridgewater continued to rally as Reddick proved tough to stop in the paint. Reddick scored 26 points in the second half against a wide range of Hornet defensive fronts.

Lynchburg maintained the lead but could not extend the gap beyond a single possession until Arnold got hot with 7:15 left to play, scoring eight points in the next 50 seconds of action. Arnold started the spurt with an and-1 opportunity, connecting at the charity stripe before knocking down a jumper off a Bridgewater turnover. Following Reddick's 1-of-2 effort at the free throw line, Arnold connected on a three-pointer to put Lynchburg up nine, 63-54, with 6:25 to go.

Reddick continued to fight, scoring the next seven points for the Eagles, five coming from the charity stripe.

Arnold answered every point by Reddick with one of his own. After Graves scored at 5:20, Arnold would be responsible for the next 10 Lynchburg points on a 10-for-10 effort at the line.

Lynchburg ran into foul trouble down the stretch trying to defend Reddick as Omar Kemp fouled out with 5:51 remaining. Kemp had a good game up to that point, contributing 11 points and six rebounds.

The Hornets then lost Graves as he picked up his fifth foul on a questionable offensive foul down low a minute later as it appeared that both players got to the spot at the same time.

Bridgewater tried to feed Reddick with both Lynchburg big men out of the game, but Zack Burnett proved his defensive might, blocking the BC forward with 1:43 to play and the Hornets up 67-61. The Eagles got the rebound, but Burnett altered another attempt by Reddick to keep Bridgewater off the board.

Lynchburg held a five point lead down the stretch as the Eagles raced to get quick scores. First, Reddick knocked down a pair of free throws, and then Welty knocked down a three before Matthew Hunter made a layup. Bridgewater was forced to foul following each basket and Arnold was a perfect 6-of-6 to keep the LC edge at 75-70 with 19 seconds to go.

Bridgewater got a momentum swing on its next possession as Marcus Curry drove the baseline for a layup. Arnold tried to step in front for the offensive foul, but was called for blocking as the ball rolled in. The move was risky as the foul resulted in Arnold's fifth of the game.

Curry missed the free throw but Logan Seacrist broke for the basket and tipped it out to a teammate as BC called timeout. The Eagles came out of the break with an opportunity at the basket but Hunter missed a layup and Reddick was fouled on the put back attempt. A pair of Reddick makes cut the Hornet lead to one, 75-74, with 5.1 seconds remaining.

Lynchburg, with its first free throw option in Arnold out of the game, found Daniel Rowe in the corner to receive the inbounds where he was fouled and knocked down a pair.

Bridgewater had an opportunity to tie, but good defense by Rowe would not allow Hunter to get a clear look, forcing a pass out of a shot attempt to avoid a Rowe block. The pass did not allow Reddick to take a shot in time as Lynchburg held on.

Reddick finished with 38 points for Bridgewater (11-14/6-10 ODAC) while adding 10 rebounds. Welty finished with 17 points as Hunter contributed four assists.

Graves joined Arnold in scoring with 15 points, four rebounds and three assists. Burnett added 12 points, a team-high eight rebounds and three assists while Kemp rounded out the LC players in double-figures.

Lynchburg (16-9/9-7 ODAC) will be either the fourth or fifth seed in the ODAC tournament starting Monday. If Eastern Mennonite University loses Sunday afternoon, the Hornets will receive a first round bye without the need of tiebreakers and would not play until Thursday in Salem, Va. If Lynchburg is the fifth seed, the Hornets will host a first round game Monday at 7 p.m. Stay tuned to the website Sunday night as the bracket is released.