Lincoln (13-5) forward Jarett Kearse scored a game-high 35 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to help the Lions win their second consecutive game and end Hood’s five-game winning streak. It was the Lions’ eighth victory in nine games and fourth consecutive win at home while the Blazers (10-9) have now lost five of their last six away from home.
The expected scoring duel between two of the top scorers in NCAA Division III, Hood’s Santo Provenzano and Lincoln’s Kyle Myrick, never materialized. Provenzano, seventh in the nation entering the game at 23.4 points per game, scored 15 points on 4-for-18 shooting and Myrick, fourth in the nation with a 25.6 PPG, finished with 16 points and eight assists. Lincoln also received eight points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots from Darryl White, who is ranked 12th nationally in blocked shots per game (2.9).
Dennis Tressler led the Blazers with a season-high 20 points on the strength of 6-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Darnell Edmonds added 10 points for the Blazers while Jesse Gutekunst contributed 10 rebounds and eight points. Hood was outrebounded, 58-37, and turned the ball over 19 times to Lincoln’s 11.
The Blazers, who will have a chance to redeem themselves against Lincoln at home on Feb. 12, jumped to an early 16-5 lead eight minutes into the game before the Lions found their groove. Using full-court pressure, Lincoln unleashed a 20-1 run to turn a 21-11 deficit into a 31-22 lead late in the first half. Lincoln held a 38-31 lead at halftime.
Hood opened the second half with a 9-2 burst to tie the game, 40-40, with 18:12 remaining. Lincoln responded by scoring nine straight points—an Alexis Perez lay-up, a Perez 3-pointer, a Kearse basket and a basket by Shawn Brown—to open a 49-40 advantage with 15:11 remaining.
Hood pulled to within two, 68-66, following a Tressler basket with 6:17 remaining. That would be as close as it would get, however, as Kearse drained back-to-back 3-pointers from 30 feet out to give Lincoln a 74-66 lead with 4:34 remaining. The Blazers had two opportunities in the final 90 seconds to cut into Lincoln’s 76-71 advantage, but they missed a pair of 3-pointers.
The Blazers will look to start a new winning streak when they next get into action Sunday at Averett University. Tip-off in Danville, Va. is set for 1 p.m.