Sophomore guard Mike Edwards (Richmond, VA/Steward School) and freshman forward Troy Kaase (Roanoke, VA/Cave Spring) each scored 14 points, while the Tigers attempted 22 more free throws than Methodist as H-SC knocked down 33-of-42 (79%) freebie attempts for the game. Edwards finished the game 10-for-10 from the line, while freshman guard A.J. Dowell (Roanoke, VA/Salem) made 9-of-10 as he scored a career high nine points. Senior guard Brian Gunn (Danville, VA/GW Danville) added ten to give the Tigers three players in double-figures.
Hampden-Sydney led, 28-27, at the break after a first half in which the two teams combined to make 27 turnovers. In the second half, the Tigers made a habit of going to the free throw line where they converted on 21-of-27 attempts and pulled out a 16 point lead, 58-42, on a pair of Mike Edwards free throws with 11:04 to play.
The Monarchs were able to trim the Tiger lead back to ten points, 60-50, thanks to six straight points by Eugene Grant, but that was as close as they could get as free throw shooting by Dowell and Edwards down the stretch helped seal the win for Hampden-Sydney.
Robert Lee scored a game-high 19 points for the Monarchs, who played without head coach David Smith who was absent due to a family emergency, while Seth Thomas finished with 14, Sam Porter 12 and Eugene Grant with 11. The Tigers out-rebounded Methodist, 40-29, and forced 20 Monarch turnovers while committing just 14, including only two in the second half.
Methodist shot 44 percent (23-for-52) from the floor, 28 percent (5-for-18) from beyond the arc and 70 percent (14-for-20) from the line while the Tigers canned 40 percent (22-for-55) from the floor.
Hampden-Sydney returns to action Saturday, January 8, as the team hosts Old Dominion Athletic Conference-foe Bridgewater College 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.