Ashland, Va. -- Junior T.C. Thacker led all scorers with 30 points and recorded his ninth double-double of the season, but it was not enough to propel the University of Lynchburg men's basketball team as the Hornets came up short in a thrilling overtime battle with the No. 3-ranked Yellow Jackets of Randolph-Macon College, 85-82, Saturday afternoon.

The Hornets (13-9, 8-5 ODAC) got out to a strong start against the No.3-ranked Yellow Jackets as Lynchburg took an early 12-9 lead after junior Tharon Suggs hit a 3-point field goal at the 10:38 mark. With 8:46 left in the half, RM-C tied the contest at 16 and then took a 19-16 lead on a Corey Bays 3-pointer. The Yellow Jackets extended the lead to a 32-24 before the break. 

Trailing by eight at halftime, Lynchburg surged in the second half, outscoring the Yellow Jackets 43-35, to take the lead. The Hornets went on a 6-0 run late to go ahead 66-62 but RM-C's Buzz Anthony hit a 3-pointer to put the Yellow Jackets within one. After a Chance Greene free throw gave Lynchburg a 67-65 lead, Anthony hit a jumper with 11.6 seconds left, sending the game to overtime tied at 67.

Suggs scored seven of his 21 points in overtime, but it was Greene who came in clutch for Lynchburg at the end. With the Hornets trailing by three, the senior guard drove the lane and converted a layup to bring the deficit to one. After R-MC's Buzz Anthony only converted one of two free-throw attempts, Greene again drove and scored the game-tying layup with 5 seconds to play.

But Randolph-Macon's Ian Robertson sank a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the corner, the last of his 18 points, to keep R-MC unbeaten in ODAC play.

The Lynchburg men's basketball team will be back in action at home Wednesday, Feb. 12 as the Hornets take on the Quakers of Guilford College with tip off set for 7 p.m.

--LYN--