Monroe’s 21 was a game-high as he hit on 8-of-15 from the floor and nailed three three-pointers. Senior forward David Willson (Memphis, TN/MUS) recorded his second straight double-double and fifth of the year with 16 points and 12 boards, while fellow senior Jason Holman (Amelia, VA/Amelia Co.) added 13 points and eight rebounds. Junior point guard Brian Gunn (Danville, VA/George Washington) added 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while freshman center Davis Bowne (Hickory, NC/St. Stephen’s) added a career-best nine rebounds as the Tigers out-rebounded Lynchburg, 42-30.
The Tigers led by ten at the break, 42-32, after a hot-shooting first half in which the team hit 14-of-27 shots, including five three pointers. Three’s kept the Hornets close as the team knocked down 6-of-9 in the opening stanza.
Hampden-Sydney led by as much as 28, 68-40, in the second half thanks to a 12-0 run midway through the period, fueled by four free throw’s by Brandon Randall (Williamsburg, VA/Bruton) and a pair of three’s by Brian Gunn. Lynchburg pulled to as close at 18 (75-57) on a Matthew Sweeney three at the 3:13 mark, but the Tigers closed on a 6-2 run to push the final margin of victory to 22.
Dedrick Craft paced the Hornets with 16 points, thanks in part to a 4-of-5 effort from three-point range, while Ryan Pehanick and Matthew Sweeney each finished with 11 points as the Hornets shot 37.5 percent (21-56) from the floor, 56 percent (9-16) from beyond the arc and 57 percent (8-14) from the line.
The Tigers finished the game shooting 48 percent (26-54) from the floor, 36 percent (8-22) from three-point land and 75 percent (21-28) from the line. Hampden-Sydney committed 16 turnovers and forced 17, while making nine steals.
Hampden-Sydney returns to action Saturday, January 31, as the team hosts Eastern Mennonite University at 2 pm in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium. The game will be broadcast live on FM 95.7 WFLO and on the internet at www.hsc.edu/athletics.