WASHINGTON D.C.--Senior Sean Robine and sophomore Ryan Junghans
combined for 46 points to lead the Hood College men's basketball
team to a 77-63 come-from-behind victory over the host Gallaudet
University Bison Thursday in a Capital Athletic Conference game at
The Field House.
The Blazers (15-3, 8-1 CAC) earned their 15th victory on the
season, a record for the four-year old program, and swept the
season series from the Bison (3-14, 1-8 CAC).
Robine tallied nine of Hood's first 11 points but the Blazers
found themselves in a 16-11 hole at the 11:01 mark. Later in the
half, the Bison snapped a 19-19 tie with a 9-0 burst to go up
28-19, forcing the Blazers to call timeout.
Hood rallied to tie the score at 32-32 just before the half on a
pair of free throws by freshman Mike McCarrick, but a late Blazer
foul led to a pair of foul shots for Jonathan Valencia, who sent
the Bison into the lockerroom with a slim 34-32 lead.
Hood outscored the Bison, 11-6, to start the second half, but
Gallaudet regained the lead (44-43) on a fast-break layup by
Valencia at the 13:32 mark. But on Hood's next possession, freshman
Nick Scott hit a layup in transition to give the Blazers a lead
they would not surrender. Over the next 1:25, the Blazers cashed in
on two conventional three-point plays, one each by Junghans and
Jesse Gutekunst, to take a 53-49 lead with 10:35 left. Hood used
its prowess at the foul line to build a double-digit lead and went
on to win by 14.
Junghans led the Blazers in scoring for the 12th time this
season with 25 points, including 8-of-8 from the foul line.
Junghans, currently ranked ninth in NCAA Division III in free throw
percentage (.891), has now made 35 consecutive free throws dating
back to Hood's game with Marymount University on Jan. 10.
Robine eclipsed the 20-point plateau for the third time this
season hitting 7-of-8 for 21 points. Gutekunst chipped in 15 points
and seven rebounds and hit all seven of his foul shots. In all, the
Blazers, ranked sixth in the CAC in free throw percentage, nailed
27-of-30 from the stripe, including 22-of-24 in the final 20
minutes.
Hood returns to action Saturday hosting the University of Mary
Washington in a CAC showdown for first place at Gov. Thomas Johnson
High School. Tip is slated for 2 p.m.