OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The men's basketball squad continues undefeated conference play with a 81-62 win over a Top 25 defense in the Stevenson Mustangs on the road on in Owings Mills Gymnasium on Wednesday night.
Inside the Box Score
Garrett Cox (Glen Allen, VA/Glen Allen) posts 21 points shooting 8-for-14 from the field.
Jevon Yarbrough (Hagerstown, Md./Williamsport) was just shy of a double-double with 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Jude Huseby (Frederick, Md./Urbana) pulls a team season high 16 rebounds on the evening.
How it Happened
On a night where the Blazers were mild offensively, hot streaks and uplifted defensive play was need to outlast spoiler of Stevenson team that has performed well under a first-year head coach.
Yarbrough right at the jump had the ball find him, he took three dribbles and had a three-ball find the bottom of the net. A Huseby tip-in and Cox with a catch and shoot three put Hood up 8-0, a cushion that would stay almost making it as if the Mustangs started down that much before tipoff.
The Blue & Grey defense created a wall at the top of the key to timid guard play leading to tough shots, with the boards going to Hood's big men it stalled many Stevenson possession.
Karron Mallory (Manchester, Pa./Northeastern) would drain all of his threes in just over a three-minute time span, a new element to cover with him charging and rifling a pass cross court just to get the rock back and shoot pure at 24-12.
Even after taking a 16-point lead at halftime, the Mustangs wouldn't lie down but respond with an 11-0 run just five minutes into the second half. As the squad as done all year, they responded with a 14-0 run led by the effective shooting from Cox that continued to keep Stevenson away.
"I thought our defense saved us tonight, which is contrary to most of our games where our offense overpowers teams," said head coach
Chad Dickman. "We played discipline and made them settle for tough shots on most possessions. We really hurt them in the glass, as well."
"Offensively, we were as sloppy as we've been all year. Way too many turnovers and driving into traffic, and you can't do that against a good defensive team like that."
"But, it's great to be 3-0 alone at the top of the conference early on, especially with all three wins coming on the road."
Analysis
The Blazers take care of the board battle 53-32
Stevenson shot about 31 percent from the field, 24 percent in the first half.
Notes
Hood improves to 3-0 in the MACC, 12-2 overall. The Blazers sit atop of the conference standings.
Stevenson drops to 1-2 in conference play, 9-5 overall.
For the Opponent
Kole Beaman leads Stevenson with 16 points and nine rebounds.
Up Next
The squad hosts Widener who sits in the No.4 spot in the conference standings on Saturday, January 17 with tipoff set for 3 p.m..
