For immediate release - 1/14/2009 - #158
Washington & Lee Defeats LC Men 56-52 in OT Instant Classic
LYNCHBURG, VA - The Washington & Lee University men's basketball team defeated Lynchburg College 56-52 in an overtime classic from Turner Gymnasium.
LC led 47-44 with 32 seconds left in regulation, but Kirk Jones of the Generals drained a clutch three pointer just five seconds later to notch the game at 47-47. LC had a chance to win the game on a highly contested Mason Wooldridge (New Canton, VA/Fork Union) jumper in the lane that rimmed out to send the game into overtime. Kirk Jones provided more clutch heroics to open the extra period, drilling another three 25 seconds into OT. The Hornets, however, were not able to cut the General lead to less than two in the period as the Generals hung on for a tightly contested win in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) action.
The second-half was a close battle as neither team could put the game away. The largest lead by either team in the stanza was just four, held by the Hornets with 14:55 left in regulation, and W&L was only able to gain a two-point advantage. Lynchburg grabbed an eight-point lead, 13-5, with 10:29 left in the first-half, but the Generals went on a 17-8 run to take a one-point advantage, 22-21, off a Zac White dunk with 19 seconds left. Brad Puffenbarger (Blue Grass, VA/Highland) answered back with a trifecta with 11 seconds left on the clock to propel the Hornets to a 24-22 lead going into intermission.
Wooldridge finished with 21 points on 7-14 shooting from the field and 7-9 from the charity stripe along with 12 rebounds in 42 minutes. KC Mendez (San Antonio, TX/Winston Churchill) scored 11 points, and Steven Echols (Martinsville, VA/Carlisle) had a solid all-around game, posting nine points, eight rebounds, five steals, and four assists. Jones finished with fifteen points, converting six of nine shots and three of five from deep. Ben Goetsch contributed with 10 points.
LC shot 38.8% for the game, 2-8 from three range, and 12-17 from the foul line. Washington & Lee (10-4/3-2) converted 42.5% of its baskets, made four of 14 threes, and was 18-30 from the foul line. Lynchburg outrebounded the Generals 34-32 and also had 19 turnovers and forced 22. The Hornets recorded 12 steals compared to eight thefts for W&L. LC had a 24-20 advantage in points in the paint while Washington & Lee had a 16-15 margin in points off turnovers. Lynchburg had 10 second chance points compared to six for W&L. The score was tied 12 times and there were also 12 lead changes.
The Hornets (3-12/1-5 ODAC) travel to Hampden-Sydney, VA, on Wednesday to battle the Hampden-Sydney College Tigers at 7 p.m. in an ODAC contest.
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