OWINGS MILLS, Md. - With just nine players available, the Hood College men's basketball team outlasted McDaniel 76-73 in the Pride of Maryland Tournament at Stevenson University. 

Inside the Box Score

• Bryce Butler and Christopher Smalls led the Blazers with 17 points apiece. Butler had six steals in the game, the most for  a Hood player since 2018. The graduate student played 38 minutes and went 3-of-6 from 3-point distance. Smalls overcame foul trouble to finish 5-of-9 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range. The senior added a team-high seven rebounds. 
• Mason Wang also played 38 minutes and scored 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting. 
• First-year Garrison Linton started for the first time and scored 11 points.

How it Happened

• The Blazers used a 12-2 surge of the span of two and a half minutes to stretch a five-point lead to a 35-20 advantage on a free throw by Small with 4:32 left in the half. 
• The Green Terror closed the half with a 13-4 run. Josh Sproul and Kaelen Kanealey scored five points apiece as Hood's halftime lead shrank to 39-33. 
• The Blazers maintained a small lead during the opening minutes of the second half until Kanealey hit a jumper to tie the game at 47-47 with 12:26 left in the contest. Butler answered immediately with a 3-pointer to reclaim the lead on Hood's next possession. 
• After David Smoot's layup tied the score again at 54-54 just over three minutes later, it was again Butler with the answer for the Blazers. He knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key, then came up with a steal and scored to make it a 59-54 game. The five points sparked a 13-3 run that resulted in a 67-57 lead after a three by Wang at 4:09. 
• Just as in the first half, Hood would have to hold off a late run from McDaniel, who closed the game with a 16-9 run. The Green Terror hit 4-of-5 from 3-point range down the stretch. 
• A layup by Kanealey pulled McDaniel within 74-70 with 13 seconds to go, but Wang scored quickly for Hood to render a last-second 3-pointer from Carter Truby meaningless.

Analysis

• The Blazers turned 12 steals into a 17-6 advantage in fast break points. 
• Hood committed just 11 turnovers and manufactured 25 points from McDaniel's 16 miscues. 
• The Blazers relied heavily on its starting lineup with a limited bench as the starting five scored 67 of Hood's 76 points. 
• McDaniel outrebounded the Blazers 45-30, but Hood still held a 14-13 edge in second chance points. 

For the Opponent

• Smoot went 5-of-8 from the floor to lead the Green Terror with 17 points. 
• Kanealey finished with 16 points, going 7-of-11 from the field. 
• Truby and Sproul added 12 points apiece. Sproul grabbed 10 boards for a double-double and Michael Wallace dished out a game-high seven assists. 

Notes

• Hood leveled its record at 2-2. 
• McDaniel entered the game unblemished but fell to 3-1. 

Up Next
The Blazers are idle before heading to Salisbury on November 26 for a 4 p.m. tip off.