For immediate release – 11/18/2015 - #189
Alex Graves Posts 25 Points to Lift LC Men to 77-72 win over Mary Washington

LYNCHBURG, VA – Senior forward Alex Graves scored 19 of his game-high 25 points in the second half to lead the Lynchburg College men's basketball team to a 77-72 win over the University of Mary Washington Wednesday in non-conference action.

The Hornets started the game on fire, bursting out to a 15-2 lead in front of a large crowd for the home opener. The Eagles quickly answered with a 16-2 run of their own to take an 18-17 advantage at the 11-minute mark of the first half. LC went ahead by nine just before the break, but UMW scored the last nine points of the half and the teams went into intermission tied at 37 all.

Graves, limited by foul trouble in the first half, took over the game down the stretch. Mary Washington led by four with 7:24 left in the contest (66-62), but Graves scored eight of the game's next nine points, including two traditional three-point plays, to put LC ahead 70-67. The Eagles cut the advantage to two and John Lutkenhaus drilled a three-pointer with three minutes remaining to give UMW its last lead, 72-71. Zack Burnett hit a lay-up and Lyndon White made two free-throws to put LC ahead by three and the Hornet defense didn't allow a point in the final three minutes to seal the win.

Graves made 9-of-15 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free throw line and posted a game-high 11 rebounds with two blocked shots. Burnett had 11 points and Austen Arnold contributed 10 points and eight rebounds. White tallied seven points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots and Sammy Hooper added seven points.  

TJ Jones and Mark Madison paced Mary Washington (1-1) with 16 points each. Haden Thompson had 12 on 5-of-7 shooting and Lutkenhaus grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds. Asa Scott snared eight rebounds and Jones added five rebounds and four steals.

Lynchburg enjoyed a 54-45 advantage in rebounding on the night.

The Hornets (2-1) return to action Tuesday at 4 p.m. for a non-conference game at home against Ferrum College.

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