The victory, coupled with North Carolina Wesleyan’s 95-90 overtime victory over Greensboro, puts Methodist in sole possession of first place in the USA South at 13-8 overall and 9-2 in the conference. The Monarchs hold a one-game lead over both Greensboro and Shenandoah.
Hatch recorded four blocked shots to raise his career total to 303. That moves him past the old USA South mark of 300, held by former Christopher Newport standout Terry Gray from 2000-2003. Hatch is now eighth all-time in NCAA Division III.
However, like the previous meeting between the two teams at Methodist, the Monarchs had to play their "A" game to fend off a dangerous Chowan squad. In the first half alone, there were nine lead changes, Methodist twice led by three points, and clinged to a two-point lead in the waning moments when a jump shot by Trayvon Lathan tied the game at 32-32 at halftime.
In the second half, however, Methodist took control. The Monarchs used a 13-4 run in the first seven minutes to take a 45-37 lead. Eddie Lamar then gave Methodist a 54-43 lead on a 3-point basket with 8:19 remaining.
Chowan trimmed the deficit to seven points on four points by Lathan, but Monarchs responded with a 9-2 run to put the game. Sam Porter started the rally with five straight points, and Hatch finished it with a dunk to give the Monarchs a 63-49 lead with 4:04 remaining.
Porter had a tremendous game for Methodist with 15 points and 16 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. Eugene Grant paced the Monarchs with 17 points, while Hatch scored nine points, and Lamar and Ivan Little each added eight points.
Lathan, the USA South’s leading scorer, was held to 14 points to pace Chowan (9-12, 4-7), while Isaac McCall scored 11 points.
Methodist returns to the Riddle Center on Monday for the first of three straight home games to close out the regular season. It will be a 7:30 p.m. showdown against rival North Carolina Wesleyan.