Needing a win to keep alive the hopes of a home game in the First Round of the ODAC Tournament next week, Eastern Mennonite responded. Playing on the road, the basketball men held Washington and Lee to just 31% shooting and ran away with a 70-53 win. The decision also locked EMU and W&L into a tie for eighth place in the ODAC standings.
The Runnin Royals indeed came out running, as they scored the first nine points. W&L came back and earned a six-point lead.
Eastern Mennonite finished the half strong, closing on a 10-0 run over the final six minutes, and took a 28-24 edge into the locker rooms.
After the first few minutes of the second, the men resumed their play from the start of the game. With the Generals within three at 30-27, the Royals stepped up the defense and kept their opponents without a point for a span of 4:20. EMU scored on six straight possessions and used a 13-0 streak to blow open a 43-27 advantage.
The Runnin Royals maintained their intensity and never let Washington and Lee closer than 13 the rest of the night, cruising to the 70-53 win.
Despite giving up 18 offensive rebounds to the Generals, EMU held their hosts to 20-for-65 shooting and 31%. W&L was also cold from outside, making just 5-of-20 three pointers for 25%.
Eastern Mennonite was unstoppable, hitting 27-of-45 shots for 60%. The men were 6-15 from long range and 10-12 from the free throw line.
Owen Longacre (Telford, PA/Christopher Dock) only missed one of his eight shots and led all players with 16 points. Andrew Thorne (Front Royal, VA/Skyline) was 4-for-4 from the floor and the free throw line for 12 points.
Freshman Corey Sheppard (Richmond, VA/Open) led the bench with 11 counters, including a 3-for-3 performance from three point range. Dajon Daniel (Fredericksburg, VA/Mountain View) had nine points, and team highs of six rebounds and three steals.
R.J. Sims (Fort Washington, MD/Friendly) had a game high five assists while James Williams (Capitol Heights, MD/Archbishop Carroll) added four dimes. David Falk (Madison, VA/Madison) blocked three shots.
J.D. Ey (Charlotte, NC/Myers Park) had 13 rebounds and 12 points for the W&L. The long-armed Generals had no blocked shots in the game after blocking eight when the two teams met in Harrisonburg on Jan. 4.
Both EMU and Washington and Lee are now 5-10 in the ODAC and tied for eighth place. Emory & Henry is in seventh at 6-9. The sixth through eighth seeds host a First Round game in the ODAC Tournament next week Tuesday.
The Royals, also 10-14 overall, wrap up the regular season by hosting Guilford Saturday afternoon at 2:00pm. The Quakers are third in the ODAC with an 11-4 league mark. W&L is at first place Virginia Wesleyan on Sunday.
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