READING, Pa. – The No. 15 ranked Men's Basketball team evades the upset by battling the final minutes head-to-head at the foul line before
Jevon Yarbrough (Hagerstown, Md./Williamsport) hit the game-winner with just seconds left to win 81-80 in regulation against Alvernia on the road on Wednesday night. The 11-0 start is the squad's best in program history.
Inside the Box Score
Yarbrough scores 23 points and adds six assists on the evening.
Jude Huseby (Frederick, Md./Urbana) scores 16 rakes in 15 rebounds.
Karron Mallory (Manchester, Pa./Northeastern) hit four triples putting his season total made at nearly 50.
How it Happened
Karron Mallory (Manchester, Pa./Northeastern) scored 11 points in the first half to pace the Blazers and even though at a squad shot under 38-percent, their big men stepped up on the defensive glass to lead to only three second chance points for the host squad. The Golden Wolves shot 50-percent in the first half and walked away at the half with a two-point lead, unfamilar territory for a Hood squad as they only led in this showdown for a quarter of the game.
The hosts pushed a six-point lead at the three-minute mark, but the Blue & Grey squad that shot 78-percent from the line on the season chipped it away to just one with
Kullen Robinson (Alexandria, Va./Alexandria City) burying his last four. Alvernia's Jayne Stanley would then fake to the right and pull up from beside the NCAA logo and drain a three to create lingering feeling that the storybook ending was just a fantasy.
Robinson on the next possession would drive into the paint and attract four defenders, leaving Yarbrough open to match Stanley's triple with his own. On the ensuing possession, Rasheem Dearry instead of being pickpocketed at the top of the key would dish and receive a pass in the lane and complete floating jump shot to regain control.
Following a Yarbrough layup, on the other end a contested rebound would hit off of a Golden Wolf and provide the Blazers with the ball and a one-point deficit.
With 19 seconds left the Blazers took the ball up the court and while Huseby set a high screen, Yarbrough went around and pulled up at the elbow over two defenders and swished the game-winner.
The Golden Wolves had a chance at the buzzer with a pump fake and an attempt from beyond the arc but it hit back rim and the bench stormed the court in excitement.
"Some games just come down to players making big plays, and that was the story tonight," said head coach
Chad Dickman. "Our threes weren't falling, but we were great on the glass and that gave us a chance to stay in the game."
"He didn't have his best game by any means, but there's no one else in the conference you want with the ball in their hands in that situation then
Jevon Yarbrough (Hagerstown, Md./Williamsport). Then we had an outstanding defensive effort to end the game."
"
Jude Huseby (Frederick, Md./Urbana) was under the weather, but he was huge tonight and there's no way we win that game without him. Really proud of the whole team—we had great contributions from everyone, solid bench energy, and the guys were confident we were going to find a way to win the entire time."
Analysis
The Golden Wolves only grabbed two offensive boards on the night. Hood led the rebound game as a whole 48-31.
Hood turned over the ball 14 times compared to Alvernia's seven.
Notes
Hood improves to 20-2, 11-0 in conference play sitting at the top of the MAC Commonwealth pack.
Alvernia falls to 11-10, 5-6 in conference play just sitting inside/outside the playoff picture.
Up Next
The squad hosts second-place Albright College in Woodsboro Bank Arena for Hood's Frederick Day with tip-off set for 3 p.m. this Saturday, February 14. The Blazers took down the Lions in the previous matchup in January 114-95 after the Blazers got off to a hot start in the first half but kept the fire burning to evade a 60-point second half surge from Albright creating spoiler.
Free admission will be granted to fans who bring a donation to a non-perishable food or hygiene product all to support Hood's campus food pantry on campus that feeds students struggling with food insecurity.
