Hey Lynchburg basketball fans! My name is Tim LaDuca, and I'm the director of athletic communications here at Lynchburg! With the help of Sam Graham '24 and Evan Gates '26, student-workers for the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network and a student-athletes on the men's cross country and track teams, we put together this preview for Lynchburg's games in the ODAC Tournament starting Monday! Please enjoy.

Lynchburg, Va. -- When I was working in the athletic communications department at Newberry College in 2021, a local newspaper was using my game recaps from online and printing them in their paper. They sent me a note once asking me to stop using "unanswered" to describe points teams scored during scoring runs, because if Newberry went on a 10-0 run in the first half, the opposing team eventually answered back to stop the run. 

Well, I was finally able to use "unanswered" in a basketball recap properly on Saturday. The Lynchburg men's basketball team scored 20 unanswered points against Averett to cap off a 77-58 victory over the Cougars. Also, as I wrote in the first iteration of the Lynchburg Sports Weekly Blog, it would be dangerous for any playoff team if the Lynchburg men's basketball team picked up any momentum headed into the playoffs. They officially have the momentum as they prepare for the Shenandoah Hornets on Monday night in Winchester, Va. 

In an area where I wasn't so correct in my blog post, the Lynchburg women's basketball team only made four 3-pointers in a blowout victory over Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday. But still, the women's basketball team will look to break the program record for 3-pointers made in a season on Tuesday night when they take on EMU at home in the first round of the ODAC tournament. 

To get everyone up to speed on the first round of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments, we asked Sam Graham '24 and Evan Gates '26 to write a couple of game previews ahead of tipoff Monday night. Graham an Gates have covered both teams all season as the play-by-play and color commentary voice of the Hornets, so rest assured, they know the ins and outs of the upcoming win-or-go-home matchups.

Written by Sam Graham '24 and Evan Gates '26

#9 Lynchburg (11-14, 6-10) at #8 Shenandoah (16-9, 7-9)

Monday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. - Winchester, Va.

Separated by 165 miles on I-81, the ODAC's pair of Hornets are set to face off for the 21st time and the second this season. At 16-9, Shenandoah enters the tournament as the eight-seed and is in the midst of its best season since 2007-08. Shenandoah has won nine more games than last year's campaign in just the second season under head coach Nick Doyle. They are hosting an ODAC Tournament game for the first time in program history and will welcome Lynchburg into the James R. Wilkins Center for the second time this year. 

Lynchburg won the first meeting 69-59 in a game which saw the two teams combine to shoot 4-51 (7.8%)  from beyond the arc. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Shenandoah was 12-1 at that point and was ranked 25th in the D3Hoops.com national poll. While Shenandoah has perhaps been the top turnaround team in the league, Lynchburg has made strides in the new year as well. The Hornets have won five more games than a season ago and are back in the ODAC Tournament after a one-year hiatus.

Shenandoah enters the Monday night tilt off a loss to Ferrum while Lynchburg comes in after using a closing 23-0 run to cruise by Averett 77-58. Here is what we're keeping our eye on as the two teams meet with a trip to the quarterfinals and a date with top-seeded Randolph-Macon on the line.

Jaylen Williams has to be the focus of the Lynchburg defense. The fifth-year guard from Triangle, Va,. is enjoying his fifth season averaging better than 13 points per contest for Shenandoah as he enters with team-high averages of 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, while also forcing 33 steals. He rattled off 20-straight games scoring in double-figures to open the season before scoring just seven against Ferrum this weekend.

For the visiting Hornets, Jonathan Foust has made like his off-the-backboard alley oop dunk from Jayson Easton and taken flight over the second half of the season. An elite rebounder and defender, Foust has seen his offense make strides to the tune of double-figures in the scoring column 10 times over the past two months. He has four games with multiple steals and three with multiple blocks and his 16 total blocks lead both teams. He also plays the point of attack in Lynchburg's effective 1-3-1 defense. Foust and Piercen Young will likely take on the defensive assignment of slowing down Williams, who had just 18 points the first time these teams met.

One Stat to know:

Shenandoah:

Three-point defense. Even on the nights where the shots may not be falling for Shenandoah, they have done a great job of running opposing team's off the perimeter and defending the arc. They held Lynchburg to just 15% from deep in the January meeting, nearly 20 percentage points below their season average. For the year, Shenandoah has held 14 of its opponents below 30% on threes. They will have their hands full with a Lynchburg team which has made 20 triples on the year and shoots 34%, five percent better than last season. 70 will also be the magic number to keep in your head for the Shenandoah offense. The Hornets are 11-0 this year when reaching that mark.

Lynchburg:

Fundamentals will be critical for Lynchburg to pull off the road upset and win their fourth-straight first round game in the ODAC Tournament. Lynchburg has struggled at the free throw line, having shot just 64.6% on the season and 15-28 (53.6%) over the last two games. Making the free ones becomes extra important in the postseason, when one expects games to be closer coming down the stretch. Ball control and movement will be crucial as well. Lynchburg is 6-0 when racking up 15 or more assists and 9-3 when committing 12 or fewer turnovers. The Hornets have committed just 18 turnovers over the past two games, their fewest over a two-game span this season.

#10 Eastern Mennonite (11-14, 6-12) at #7 Lynchburg (14-11, 9-9)

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m. - Lynchburg, Va.

This pair of central Virginia foes met in an early January contest which saw Lynchburg win 79-49. Lynchburg has doubled its win total from the 2022-23 campaign, putting the rebuild under third-year coach Allison Nichols in full effect. The Hornets are 10-5 since a 104-46 win over Wilson on December 29 and enter the postseason with plenty of momentum.

While it has been an up-and-down season for EMU, the Royals did win two of their final three to close out the regular season, defeating Averett and Hollins each by double-figures. They have won five games away from home, including a 78-69 victory over third-seeded Guilford on Dec. 2.

For Lynchburg, the focus will be on winning its third-straight game and emphasizing intensity for the full 40-minutes, as the Hornets have let four first-half advantages slip away this season. Lynchburg plays up-tempo and takes a lot of threes, but a disciplined game could keep EMU around late. It is worth noting that the sharpshooting Hornets made just four three-pointers against Virginia Wesleyan in the regular season finale, yet still pulled out the 34-point victory.

Graduate transfer Kayla Surles from Hollins leads the team in minutes per game (31.8), points per game (14.9), and assists (65). Trinity Washington and Kayla Gray also provide ample scoring and rebounding.

Hamlet is still around and despite seeing her scoring average drop to just 8.5 this season, the junior wing posted 16 points and nine rebounds in the Royals' regular season finale, a statline which could give her confidence entering the postseason.

Lynchburg:

It's impossible to ignore recent performances from sophomore forward Bree Spainhour and senior guard Sammi Sever. Spainhour scored 19 in the regular-season finale vs Virginia Wesleyan, shooting 9-9 from the field. Spainhour has remained a staple in the starting lineup throughout conference play, averaging 10.6 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game. Her 49.5% shooting clip ranks fourth in the conference, showcasing a unique combination of post-play and cross-court facilitating.

In the backcourt, Sever's ability to drive and create layups from virtually any angle gives a boost to Lynchburg's transition offense. Sever has recorded double-figures in seven consecutive contests. When controlled, this offense's ability to drive and kick can be lethal when the Hornets are humming from beyond the perimeter.

One Stat to know:

EMU:

EMU protects the ball at a great rate, averaging the fewest turnovers in the ODAC at 15.3 per game. They also rank first in turnover margin at 3.72. In a game Lynchburg hopes to turn into a track race, the Royals' experience in the backcourt will play a key role in determining pace of play. Protecting the basketball and generating second-chance opportunities can bandage any early shooting woes for this EMU squad.

Lynchburg:

Lynchburg can make you pay from the perimeter, setting individual-game records for points (104) and three pointers (16) vs Wilson earlier this season. The Hornets average 8.1 three pointers per game, good for first in the ODAC. EMU gives up 37.5 rebounds per game so the offensive glass could certainly pose problems. Lynchburg's committee rebounding could create a number of second or third chance opportunities.

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.

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--LYN--