Tiger freshman guard Drew Prehmus (Atlanta, GA/Wesleyan School) scored 17 points to lead three players in double figures, including freshman guard A.J. Dowell (Roanoke, VA/Salem) who scored a career-high 16 and freshman forward Troy Kaase (Roanoke, VA/Cave Spring) who added 11 points and eight rebounds. The Tiger defense meanwhile, held EMU to just 26 percent (10-for-38) shooting in the second half and just 33 percent (22-for-66) for the game.
Eastern Mennonite held an eight-point (21-13) advantage in the first half after seven quick points by Jason Sager. However, the Tigers responded with an 18-5 run to turn the tables on the Royals, taking a five-point advantage (31-26) on a Drew Prehmus three-pointer with 4:40 to play in the half. The Tigers pushed the lead to as much as seven points, 37-30, after a Mike Edwards (Richmond, VA/Steward School) layup at the 2:18 mark, but free throws by EMU’s Jason Sager and Corey Bailey and a jumper by Dustin Galyon cut the Tiger advantage to two points at the break, 37-35.
The Tigers ran out to a five-point lead thanks to five straight points by Matt Guill (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus) to start the half, but the Royals fought back to tie the contest at 42 on a Korey Whiting jumper at the 17:00 mark. The Royals could not get over the hump however as the Tigers pushed their advantage to nine points, 58-49, on a Drew Prehmus jumper at the 9:45 mark and then went ahead by 13, 70-57, five minutes later on another Prehmus jumper.
The final margin came courtesy of a pair of layups by Dowell and four points by Kaase as the Tigers avenged an early season 82-78 loss to the Royals on January 10.
Sager led the Royals with a game-high 22 points and ten rebounds, while Whiting had 11 points and six boards. Both teams hauled in 40 rebounds, while the Tigers shot 51 percent (30-for-59) from the floor, 31 percent (5-for-16) from beyond the arc and 68 percent (15-for-22) from the line.
Hampden-Sydney returns to action Saturday, February 5, as the team travels to Lexington, VA, to take on Washington and Lee University at 2 pm.