FREDERICK, Md. – After a tightly contested first half, the Hood College men's basketball team found their scoring groove to break away from Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth opponent Albright College Lions for a 76-61 win.
Inside the Box Score
Garrett Cox (Glen Allen, VA/Glen Allen) led the team with 15 points, going 7-8 from the floor, making his only three-pointer he attempted.
Garrison Linton (New Market, Md./Oakdale) finished right behind him with 14 points, leading the Blazers with eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Jack Fricka (Alexandria, Va./West Potomac) ended the night with 13 points off of 60% shooting.
How it Happened
Hood struck first with a long ball from Linton just 12 seconds into the game, but Albright would answer with a three of their own a minute later.
The Blazers accumulated a 17-11 lead six minutes in with a layup from Cox, but the Lions managed to tie the game at 17 apiece in just 1:37.
Hood proceeded to go on an 11-3 run over the next 3:47, taking their largest lead of the half at 28-20 with just under eight and a half minutes to play.
Albright continued to battle back and not let the game get out of hand too much, eventually tying the score at 35 with three minutes remaining in the half, but two free throws from
Jude Huseby (Frederick, Md./Urbana) and a layup from Linton helped the Blazers go into halftime with a slim 39-38 lead.
The Lions took the lead early in the second half after a pair of free throws, but Hood put together a 14-3 run across the next five minutes to regain the advantage.
Although Albright made a few shots after, it was the Blazers who continued to find their shooting groove, amassing their largest lead of the game with five and a half minutes left, a 72-53 margin.
Scoring slowed down after that, with the Lions actually outscoring Hood 8-4 over the final minutes, but the Blazers continued to wind the clock down until the final buzzer sounded to confirm the 76-61 victory.
For the Opponent
Robert Mangum led Albright in scoring with 14 points, shooting 5-8 from the floor and 3-6 from beyond the arc.
Hasson Massenburg finished the game with 12 points.
Analysis
The Blazers shot 48 percent overall, and 35 percent from three-point range, compared to just 36 percent overall, and 27 percent from three-point range.
Hood outrebounded Albright 43-25.
The Blazers' bench outscored Albright's 22-11.
Notes
"We came out a little sloppy and got beat up on the glass more than we've been accustomed to lately, but in the second half we were a lot more focused, clamped down defensively, and were much more aware about everything that was going on. I think that was the turning point of the game," said head coach
Chad Dickman after the game.
Hood improves to 11-2 (3-0), while Albright drops to 8-6 (1-2).
Up Next
The Blazers continue conference play at home against Eastern University Saturday, January 13 at 3 p.m.
