ANNVILLE, Pa. - The Hood College men's basketball team led by double figures in the second half, but Lebanon Valley came back to defend its home court as the Blazers dropped a 75-71 final in Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth action. 

Inside the Box Score

• Trumaine Strickland (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) shot 9-of-17 on his way to a team-best 23 points to go along with six rebounds. 
• Ryan Hollwedel (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) and Christopher Smalls (Washington, D.C./St. Andrew's Episcopal) each hit three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. 
• Jevon Yarbrough (Williamsport, Md./Williamsport) added 10 points off the bench, sinking 4-of-6 field goals. 
• Jack Fricka (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) led Hood with eight rebounds and Garrison Linton (New Market, Md./Oakdale) had seven assists. Both players recorded two steals. 

How it Happened

• The two teams traded runs in the second half. Hood scored the first seven points of the period to claim a 45-31 lead with 17:17 to play. 
• Collin Jones scored 10 points during a 17-5 that followed, shaving the Blazers' lead to 50-48 at 12:09.
• Hood responded with a 12-3 run to build a 62-51 lead with 8:23 to play. The Blazers went 4-for-5 with three 3-point field goals during the run but could not keep up the hot shooting. 
• As a team, Hood made just two more field goals the rest of the way, opening the door for a 24-9 game-closing run for LVC. Only three Dutchmen scored during the run, Jones, Evan Smith and Jevon Griffin. 
• Griffin hit a 3-point shot to pull Lebanon Valley within 62-60 with 5:04 remaining. Smalls grabbed an offensive rebound, was fouled and hit both free throws at the other end for Hood's first points in over three minutes. After an and-one from Jones, back-to-back 3-pointers by Smith put LVC in front, 67-64 at the 1:48 mark. 
• A 3-pointer from Smalls cut LVC's lead to 68-67 with 1:17 to play. On the next Dutchmen possession, Smith was forced to toss up a jumper with the shot clock expiring and it found the bottom of the net to give Lebanon Valley a 70-67 edge. Hood pulled within two twice in the 48 seconds but could not tie the game. 
• In the first half, Smalls, Soren Almquist (Oakton, Va./James Madison) and Will Spencer (Davidsonville, Md./Boys' Latin School) each hit 3-pointers during a 12-4 run that stretched a 20-17 lead to 32-21 with under four minutes left in the half. 
• Hood carried a 38-31 lead into halftime. 

Analysis

• The Blazers shot only 39 percent in the game and were whistled for 28 fouls but used an 18-7 advantage in points off turnovers and a 21-9 edge in bench points to try to hold off the Dutchmen. 
• LVC shot 45 percent from the floor, including 10-of-26 (39 percent) from the 3-point arc. 

For the Opponent

• Jones had game highs of 24 points and 16 rebounds for the Dutchmen on 9-of-12 shooting. 
• Payton Lewis hit five 3-pointers and scored 19 points. 
• Smith finished with 16 points. 

Notes

• Hood slipped to 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the MAC Commonwealth, while LVC improved to 4-5 and 2-1. 

Up Next
The Blazers are idle before heading to Keystone in La Plume, Pa. on December 18.