Lynchburg, Va. -- The Hill City rivalry again belongs to the Hornets.

University of Lynchburg's men's basketball team battled back from a double-digit halftime deficit to top crosstown rival Randolph, 83-71, Wednesday for a crucial Old Dominion Athletic Conference win in front of a packed house in Turner Gymnasium.

Alex Fitch's 20 points led the way for the Hornets in the scoring column, while Trey Pittman contributed a double-double with 13 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Miles Taylor also scored 13 for Lynchburg, and Piercen Young chipped in nine points and nine rebounds.

Landon Wagoner led the WildCats with 15 points and eight boards.

Fitch got the party started for Lynchburg, knocking down his first 3-point attempt of the game just 1:23 into the contest. He was fouled on the play and converted the free throw for a 4-0 Hornets lead. Jumpers by Pittman and Taylor made it an 8-0 Hornet run to start the game before the visitors found their footing. Randolph clawed back into the game to tie the score at 25-25 on Ty Clingerman's free throw with 4:15 until halftime, and the WildCats closed the first half on a 14-0 run to lead, 37-25, at intermission.

Lynchburg quickly recovered at the start of the second half, starting the latter 20 with an 11-3 run capped by another Fitch 3. The senior gave the Hornets the lead not long after with a pair of free throws at the 14:39 mark. Randolph regained the lead briefly, but Cuddah Savage's 3-point play with 12:47 put the home team back on top. The Hornets never trailed again.

The Hornets won the battle on the boards by a 51-39 count, and Lynchburg outscored its rival in the paint, 38-28.

The victory got Lynchburg back in the win column against its crosstown rival after the WildCats snapped the Hornets' nine-game win streak in the rivalry a season ago. Lynchburg is 20-7 all-time against Randolph and 11-2 at home.

Lynchburg (5-14, 2-8 ODAC) looks to make it two straight wins Saturday at 4:30 p.m. with another big conference game against Shenandoah. Both the Hornets' men's and women's basketball programs will celebrate Alumni Day Saturday as well.

Visit Lynchburg athletics' home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network. Click here to sign up for email and text alerts from Lynchburg athletics.

Give Lynchburg Sports a like on Facebook, and follow Lynchburg athletics on Instagram and Twitter.

--LYN--