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Hampden-Sydney College celebrated their first week as a ranked team by pulling off an upset Wednesday. Junior Adam Brazil scored 15 points to lead the Tigers to a 64-57 win over 14th-ranked Guilford College. 

Playing before the home crowd at S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium, junior Davidson Hubbard added his fourth-straight double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, along with a game-high and career-high four blocks. Meanwhile, his teammate and fellow junior Alex Elliott contributed 10 points off the bench for the host Tigers (15-4, 9-1 ODAC), who led 26-24 at halftime en route to their sixth-straight win and their 13th win in the last 14 games. Tyler Dearman scored a game-high 16 points for the visiting Quakers (15-4, 8-2 ODAC), who had their recent four-game winning streak stopped.

“The atmosphere tonight was amazing,” said fourth-year head coach Caleb Kimbrough. “Our students and other fans gave us energy all game. We knew it was going to be a battle. I am very proud of the way our guys kept their composure and stayed focused for forty minutes.”

Hampden-Sydney battle did not disappoint

The highly-anticipated contest between two nationally-ranked teams in this week’s D3hoops.com Top 25 did not disappoint the vocal crowd of 847, nor did the home standing Tigers, who led for 32:03 on the night and took the lead for good with 18:43 remaining during the exciting 40-minute battle.

Hubbard opened the game with a three-point field goal just 11-seconds in, but GC quickly answered back with 11-straight points to lead 11-3 at 14:38. H-SC responded with 16 unanswered points to lead 19-11 with 7:04 on the first-half clock-getting 11 points combined off the bench from Elliott, sophomore Ayman McGowan, senior Miles Harris and junior Shawn Hodge, along with a basket by Hubbard and three free throws from Brazil. Another three-pointer from McGowan had the Garnet & Grey ahead 24-18 at 3:21, and it was 26-21 after a jumper in the lane by Brazil with just under a minute left toward the 26-24 lead at the intermission.

Tigers take the lead for good

GC took a brief lead to begin the second half at 27-26 following a three-pointer by Jorden Davis at 18:51, but H-SC took the lead for good at 29-27 when Brazil answered with a three-pointer of his own with 18:23 left to play. That started a quick 10-0 run for a 36-27 advantage at 14:28, as Elliott closed the outburst with another three-pointer. The Quakers closed to within 37-33 at 11:37 after two free throws by Dearman, but the Tigers promptly put-together an 11-0 run to take their largest lead of the contest at 48-33 with 6:54 on the clock.

H-SC maintained the comfortable margin, leading 53-38 at 4:13 following another three-pointer by Brazil and 57-42 at 2:27 after a pair of free throws from Brazil. GC, however, closed with a 15-7 run over the final 2:10 to provide for the final margin-connecting on a trio of late three-pointers-two by Dearman in the final minute. 

The breakdown, by the numbers

Brazil led H-SC with his team-high 15 points, adding five rebounds and three assists. Hubbard finished with his fourth-straight double-double of 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Tigers, along with a game-high and career-high four blocks. Elliott contributed his 10 points off the bench, adding four rebounds. Hardy had eight points and six rebounds, Clements had seven points and two steals, while McGowan added six points off the bench.

Junior DJ Wright (Greensboro, GA) had a game-high and career-high five assists. H-SC shot 43% (23-54) from the field, including 24% (6-25) on three-pointers, and 86% (12-14) at the free throw line. The Tigers enjoyed a 34-22 advantage in points scored in the paint, and a 20-11 edge in bench points, and outrebounded the visitors 41-36.

Dearman led GC with his 16 points, adding a game-high three steals. Davis had 14 points for the Quakers. GC shot 30% (19-63) from the field, including 23% (7-30) on three-pointers, and 92% (12-13) at the line.

What’s next for Hampden-Sydney?

Hampden-Sydney will play on the road at ODAC member Roanoke College on Saturday, January 28, at 4:30 p.m. in the C. Homer Bast Center in Salem. The Maroons are receiving votes in this week’s Top 25.