The Mary Baldwin Fighting Squirrels men's basketball team fell to Southern Virginia University on Wednesday night, 73–62.
Southern Virginia controlled the opening half by establishing itself in the paint, scoring 22 of its 33 first-half points inside. The Knights also took care of the basketball, committing just two turnovers in the half.
Mary Baldwin struggled to find an offensive rhythm early, shooting 9-of-26 from the field and recording only five assists compared to Southern Virginia's 10. Despite shooting just 16 percent from beyond the arc, the Knights still finished the half shooting 41 percent overall.
Tillman Johnson paced Southern Virginia in the first half with 10 points. Mary Baldwin stayed within striking distance by getting to the free-throw line, converting seven of its 11 attempts.
Sophomore
DJ Via led the Fighting Squirrels with nine first-half points, including two three-pointers, while sophomore
Rony Hogarth added six points, highlighted by a fast-break dunk.
The second half belonged to senior
Raymond Benton, who caught fire for Mary Baldwin. Benton poured in 18 points after halftime, showcasing his scoring ability at all three levels. He also made an impact defensively, grabbing three steals.
However, Southern Virginia proved too much down the stretch, scoring 40 points in the second half and pushing its lead to as many as 21. DJ Green led the Knights with 12 second-half points, while Hyrum McConkie added seven.
The Fighting Squirrels will return home to host Brevard College on Saturday, January 31, at 2:00 p.m.
Notes:
- Leading Scorers:
- MBU:
- SVU:
- DJ Green-19
- Tillman Johnson-14
- Hyrum McConkie
- Rebounding Leaders
- MBU:
- SVU:
- Luc DeVore-9
- Hyrum McConkie-7
- Points in the Paint
- Time with Lead
