Second half rally lifts Mary Washington to 63-61 victory over McDaniel
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Jon Pierce netted a game-high 18 points to lead four Mary Washington players in double figures and a 63-61 victory over McDaniel in non-conference men’s basketball action on Tuesday.
T.J. Odunlami (Columbia, Md./Athlolton) recorded 12 points to lead the Green Terror (6-1), who had its season-opening six-game winning streak snapped.
Eric Pearson recorded all 15 points of his points in the second half to help the Eagles (5-2) overcome a 31-27 halftime deficit.
Trailing 46-45 with 11:27 to play, Mary Washington reeled off the six straight points over the next 3 minutes, 41 seconds – a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the way.
After seeing their lead dissolve to 53-52 with 6:07 showing after Michael Jarboe (Monrovia, Md./Urbana) canned a 3-pointer, the Eagles hit three straight baskets, including two of their four second-half treys, to stretch the lead to its largest at 61-52.
After Brett Foelber (Sykesville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) converted a three-point play to pull his squad within 62-60, Mary Washington had the ball with the shot clock winding down.
Chad Arrington (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) knocked ball away and was fouled on the break. With 37.2 seconds on the clock, the junior hit the first to pull the Green Terror within 62-61.
After a timeout with 31.8 seconds showing, the Eagles got the ball into the front court before being fouled.
Brandon Altman connected on the first of two attempts from the stripe to stretch the lead back to two with 23.0 seconds on the clock.
Odunlami had a chance to send the game to overtime but his eight-footer rimmed out and Pierce collected the rebound with 1.4 seconds to play. After a Mary Washington timeout, a long pass down the floor allowed Matt Hale to dribble out the clock and give McDaniel its first loss of the season.
Four straight triples capped an 18-6 start that gave the Green Terror a 12-point advantage 7:22 into the game.
A Kevin Henry (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) stretched the lead to as many as 15 at 23-8 with 9:07 showing before a 17-2 run knotted the game six minutes later.
Matt Hale and Justin Baker rounded out double-digit scorers for Mary Washington with 12 and 10, respectively.
Arrington added 10 points for the Green Terror.
McDaniel returns to action against Middlebury at the Land of Magic Classic on Dec. 28. Game time is 3 p.m.
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