FREDERICK, Md. – The men's basketball team remains victorious in another rugged MAC Commonwealth battle against Alvernia as the Blazers use the glass and stamina to outlast the Golden Wolves 104-94 in Woodsboro Bank Arena on their way to their seventh-straight win on Wednesday night.
Inside the Box Score
Jevon Yarbrough (Hagerstown, Md./Williamsport) led Blazer scorers with 24 points accompanied by eight rebounds and six assists.
Jude Huseby (Frederick, Md./Urbana) goes 6-for-8 to equate to 19 points.
Gage Linton (Ijamsville, Md./Oakdale) scores a career-high 16 points and five points.
How it Happened
With Woodsboro Bank Arena packed with the first game back from break, the 6
th scoring offense in the nation had a slow start to their surprise. Alvernia started on a 4-0 run and it took Hood two and a half minutes to put their first bucket in.
With prominent scorers in all of the conference at a halt, Linton emerged as the team's lead scorer as the team needed a new rhythm. Linton's game translated by his persistence on defense to acrobatics at the rim on the offensive end. He would leave the first half with 14 points and 5-for-6 from the field.
The teams trickled their way towards the half with foul frenzy inside the five-minute mark but it would look like the Golden Wolves would have the edge with a minute left.
Two turnovers by Alvernia in the final stretch would cut the momentum and give Hood the lead 43-42 at half.
Early in the second half, Yarbrough went to work and scored on three straight possessions to create a cushion for the first time in the game. Alvernia head coach Mike Feroli needed to call timeout to gather his troops with the 52-46 deficit.
The tipping point was at 13 minutes on a possession where four offensive rebounds took place before Robinson finally put the ball to its final resting place in the bucket but not before it was made a three-point play.
Minutes later while the crowd was still lit the Blazers went on a 13-0 run that proved stamina to outrun the Golden Wolves.
"I was happy with our improvement on the offensive end in the second half tonight," said head coach
Chad Dickman. "Thought we came out flat, went through the motions, and didn't make them defend in the first half. It was another game where we were outstanding on the glass, and that effort has made up for some of our shortcomings in multiple games this year."
Analysis
Hood owned the glass in the second half with the 30-11 advantage.
The Blazers shot 62 percent in the second half.
Notes
Hood improves to 14-2, 5-0 in conference play sitting atop the MAC Commonwealth.
Alvernia falls to 8-7, 2-3 in conference and sit in fifth just out of the playoff picture.
Up Next
The squad continues the finishes the homestand with their 16
th all-time meeting with Eastern at 2 p.m. this Saturday, January 24 in Woodsboro Bank Arena.
