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Throughout the year, when The Herald would ask Hampden-Sydney players about goals for this season, one kept coming up. They wanted another shot at the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship. Now they have a chance to win it, after the Tigers beat Virginia Wesleyan in the ODAC semifinals 63-52. 

Senior team captain Adam Brazil posted game highs of 20 points and six assists, adding a season-high seven rebounds, while classmate and team captain Josiah Hardy added a season-high 14 points, along with seven rebounds, to lead the Tigers. Senior Davidson Hubbard added 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds, as Hampden-Sydney played in front of an energetic crowd at the Salem Civic Center in Salem. The Garnet & Grey out-rebounded the Marlins 44-32. Hampden-Sydney also shot 38% (23-61) from the field, including 31% (8-26) on three-pointers, and 82% (9-11) at the free throw line

Hampden-Sydney trailed 30-27 at halftime, and 45-44 with 7:15 remaining, before closing the contest on a 19-7 run to improve to 25-2 overall. The #6 seed Marlins dropped to 19-8 and were led by Paul Anderson with 10 points off the bench. The Marlins shot 37% (22-59) from the field, including 31% (4-13) on three-pointers, and 67% (4-6) at the line.

“The guys played their hearts out tonight against a tough VWU team that is playing good ball,” said fifth-year head coach Caleb Kimbrough. “Our job’s not done. One more game.”

Title challenge coming up 

Hampden-Sydney advances to the 2024 ODAC Tournament Championship and will play #4 seed Washington and Lee University on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center. The Tigers last played in the title contest in 2014, and last won a conference tournament championship in 2007, defeating Roanoke 77-62.

H-SC is now 62-35 all-time in ODAC Tournament games, and will be playing in a record-16th ODAC Tournament Championship game. The Tigers have won 10 ODAC Tournament Titles (tied for most with Randolph-Macon and Roanoke), including eight championships from 1989-2002, and the 62 tournament wins are the most of any school.

H-SC and W&L are each charter members of the ODAC, now in its 48th year. The Generals advanced to the title contest with a 74-71 win past #1 seed and nationally-ranked No. 2 Randolph-Macon in the first semifinal on Saturday.

Can I watch Hampden-Sydney on Sunday?

The Championship contest on Sunday can be heard locally on WVHL Radio, Kickin’ Country 92.9 FM, and will also be available worldwide on the Internet at wvhl.net or via the TuneIn Radio App, while the game will be available to watch courtesy of the ODAC Sports Network.