FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Hood College's
Christopher Smalls (Washington, D.C./St. Andrew's Episcopal) and
Trumaine Strickland (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) hit 3-point field goals in the final 36 seconds to erase a four-point deficit as the Blazers escaped Mary Washington with a 65-63 win in non-conference men's basketball.
Inside the Box Score
- Strickland scored a career-high 26 points, none more important than his go-ahead 3-pointer with 10 seconds left. The senior guard shot 8-for-13, including 4-for-8 behind the arc, and had three steals.
- Michael Wallace (Wilmington, Del./Salesianum School), who missed the season's first nine games, had his best game in a Hood uniform. The graduate student poured in 19 points off the bench on 7-of-12 shooting to go along with five rebounds.
- Christopher Smalls (Washington, D.C./St. Andrew's Episcopal), whose only field goal of the game started the Blazers' late comeback, finished with six rebounds and four steals. Garrison Linton (New Market, Md./Oakdale) tied Smalls for the team-high with six rebounds and had three steals.
How It Happened
- Hood held a 13-point lead in the second half before the Eagles went on a 17-0 run late in the second half. Greg Rowson was fouled but only made the first free throw to make it 63-59 with 1:06 on the clock. Dorian Davis cleared the offensive glass, but Rowson was off the mark from beyond the arc.
- Linton grabbed the defensive board and found Smalls open for a 3-pointer to cut it to a one-point deficit with 36 seconds to go.
- Davis was off the mark on another 3-point try for UMW with 17 seconds left. Ryan Hollwedel (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) tipped the rebound to Linton, who pushed the ball ahead to Wallace. Wallace drove to the rim and passed to an open Strickland in the corner, who hit from 3-point range for the 65-63 lead.
- Mary Washington was able to get the ball into the frontcourt on its final possession, but Smalls stole a pass and passed ahead to Linton, who dribbled out the final two seconds to seal the win.
- The Eagles' big run to take the lead had come on the heels of a 25-5 surge by Hood, which had given the Blazers a 59-46 lead with seven minutes to play. Strickland had 10 points during that span for Hood.
- In the first half, the Blazers opened the game with a 20-9 run that included 14 points by the combination of Strickland and Wallace.
- Hood still led 30-28 after a bucket by Wallace with 1:45 left in the half but Mary Washington scored the final seven points to take a 35-30 lead into the break.
Analysis
- Hood overcame an icy first half shooting to hit 12-of-22 field goals in the second half (55 percent) and ended the game at 39 percent overall.
- Mary Washington shot 37 percent.
- The Blazers held a slim 37-36 edge on the glass.
For the Opponent
- Rowson had 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Eagles, the only scorer in double figures for Mary Washington.
Notes
- Hood snapped a two-game skid and improved to 8-7.
- Mary Washington, who was receiving votes in the D3hoops.com Top 25, fell to 11-4.
Up Next
The Blazers head to Alvernia on Saturday, January 14.
