Box Score HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. (Dec. 19, 2014) – A strong first half helped host Hampden-Sydney to a 58-48 victory over the Sewanee men's basketball team, Friday, in the Championship game of the Luck Stone Holiday Tournament inside Fleet Gymnasium.
The loss dropped Sewanee to 4-4 overall while Hampden-Sydney stayed perfect and are now 7-0.
With the score tied 2-2, Hampden-Sydney used a 10-2 run during a two-minute stretch to lead 12-4. Freshman Jacob McCullough then hit a layup to pull Sewanee to within six.
Unfortunately, a three by Mike Murphy and back-to-back jumpers sparked a quick 7-0 spurt by Hampden-Sydney.
Later in the half, another three by Murphy extended the Hampden-Sydney lead to 17.
Sewanee would chip away at its deficit with seven straight points. A Keshonn Carter jumper with 58 seconds left in the half pulled the Tigers to within nine, 29-20. Murphy would then give Hampden-Sydney an 11-point advantage with two free throws on the ensuing possession.
After a slow first half in which Sewanee made 24.1 percent of its attempts, the Tigers came out strong in the second half.
A jumper by Carter, followed by a mid-range jump shot by Jorden Williams and a tip-in by Marcellus Caldwell cut the Hampden-Sydney lead to five, 31-26.
Hampden-Sydney would then extend its advantage back to double digits with an 8-0 run. Six of those eight points were scored by Murphy.
The Tigers would get to within four with 7:58 remaning after a 9-0 Sewanee run. In less than two minutes, three three-point shots – one by Clay Born and two by Williams – cut the Hampden-Sydney lead to 45-41.
However, down the stretch, Hampden-Sydney made four out of five attempts to give the host some much needed breathing room.
Overall, Sewanee struggled from the field with a 19-of-62 (30.6 percent) effort. That included making only 20 percent of its three-point shots.
With that, the Tigers forced 16 Hampden-Sydney turnovers and outrebounded the home team 35-32.
Individually, Carter led Sewanee with 18 points and seven rebounds. Williams also added 16 points while Caldwell grabbed 11 rebounds.
Murphy led Hampden-Sydney with a game-high 22 points. Of those 22 points, 13 came at the foul line. Duncan was also in double figures for Hampden-Sydney with 12 points.
Sewanee will now take a couple of weeks off before playing at Covenant, December 30. That contest is schedule to begin at 2:00 p.m. (EST).
Notes: Williams and Carter were both named to the all-tournament team.
For more information on Sewanee Athletics, please visit www.SewaneeTigers.com. You can also check the Tigers out on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr.
