HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA - Khobi Williamson (Norfolk, VA/Maury) scored a career-high 26 points, all in the second half, as Hampden-Sydney rolled past Marygrove College 75-50.
The Tigers wasted no time taking control of the game as a Keegan Wetzel (Mebane, NC / Eastern Alamance) jumper and two straight corner three pointers from Kodie Critzer (Charlottesville, VA / St. Anne's-Belfield) put H-SC up 8-0 at the 17:27 mark. Harrison George (Raleigh, NC / Leesville Road) and Murray followed with two-point buckets to make it a 12-0 contest five minutes in. The Mustangs didn't score until 14:19 off a Diante Taylor free throw, but the free throw helped spur an 8-2 run in less than two minutes to cut the deficit down to 14-8. With H-SC up six with 10 minutes left, Murray and Critzer hit back-to-back threes to push the lead out to 22-10. Darryl Foster responded with a jump shot, but the Tigers went on a 11-2 run in just over four minutes to take a 33-14 lead and would take a 20-point lead, 37-17, going into halftime.
The Mustangs were never able to get back in the game as the Tigers lead remained at least 14 the entire second half. Williamson established his presence in the second-half quick and furiously. After a Wetzel layup, Williamson scored the Tigers next 11 points over a four-minute span. He continued to fill up the basket during his entire 12-minute stint, finishing 8-9 from the floor and 10-13 from the free throw line to earn his 26 points.
Murray was the only other double-digit scorer for H-SC as he filled the box score with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals, and Crizter added nine points, all on three pointers. Taylor led Marygrove with 13 points while Darryl Foster added 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Hampden-Sydney shot 25-56 (44.6%) for the game and was 21-32 (65.6%) from the free throw line but shot just 4-22 (18.2%) from the three point line. Marygrove was 17-43 (39.5%) overall, 4-15 (26.7%) from three range, and 12-21 (57.1%) from the charity stripe. The Tigers outrebounded the Mustangs 37-29 and forced 27 Marygrove turnovers leading to 29 points.
Hampden-Sydney returns to the court on the 29th as they host Huntingdon College at 5 pm in the first game of the two-day, four-game Bojangles Holiday Challenge. The other two participating teams are Randolph College and Johns Hopkins University.