LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The University of Lynchburg men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought ODAC home contest Thursday afternoon, falling 92–88 to Guilford in Turner Gymnasium.
Guilford (10-8, 4-5) came out playing at a frenetic pace, pairing its up-tempo offense with a relentless full-court press, but the Hornets (10-9, 5-5) handled the pressure well in the opening half. Lynchburg limited turnovers, turned defense into offense in transition, and controlled the glass early, building momentum behind efficient ball movement and strong rebounding.
The Hornets led by as many as 11 points early in the second half, taking a 56–45 advantage with 16:33 remaining, but Guilford found its offensive rhythm as the game wore on. The Quakers began to speed Lynchburg up, creating chaos defensively and stringing together stops that fueled a decisive run. Guilford flipped the game on its head with a surge that erased the deficit and eventually turned into a 10-point advantage midway through the half.
Despite the swing, Lynchburg refused to go away. The Hornets rallied late, trimming the deficit to one possession in the final minute. Jamarcus Brown knocked down a jumper with 42 seconds remaining to make it a one-possesion game, but Lynchburg was unable to convert on the final possession, as the potential game-tying shot missed at the buzzer.
Elijah Thomas led the Hornets in scoring with a career-high 17 points, along with eight rebounds. Brown snatched his second straight double-double, and seventh of the season, with 15 points and 11 rebounds, alsong with recording three blocks and two steals. Jake Hart chipped in seven boards and four assists as Lynchburg finished with a 47–44 edge on the glass and outscored Guilford 64–36 in the paint.
Guilford was led by 25 points from Braylen Salters and 20 from Gabe Proctor, using second-half pressure and timely shooting to secure the win.
The loss marks Lynchburg's second straight conference setback at home as the Hornets look to regroup heading into their next ODAC matchup at Bridgewater this Saturday, Jan. 31.
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