FERRUM, Va. – Senior forward Ben Heller (Houston, Texas/Lamar) totaled a career-high 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor to lead Washington and Lee to a 60-56 victory over Ferrum in men's basketball action on Monday evening.

Neither team led by more than seven points in the contest as the Generals (5-2) opened a 21-14 lead with 7:50 remaining in the first half. However, the Panthers (3-3) then went on a 9-2 run over the next 5:17 to knot the game at 23-23 with 2:33 left in the half and W&L carried a slim 29-26 lead into the break.

The second half proved to be another close stanza as neither team led by more than six points in the final 20 minutes. The Generals held a 50-44 advantage with 6:23 left, but the Panthers again knotted the score at 54-54 with 3:03 remaining. Heller then gave W&L the lead for good (56-54) on a jumper with 2:34 left and stretched a four-point lead to 58-54 on another jumper with 24 seconds remaining in leading the Generals to the win.

Heller led W&L with his career-high effort, while junior forward Zac White (Baltimore, Md./Park School) tallied 12 points and four rebounds. Senior guard Isaiah Goodman (Richfield, Minn./Holy Angels) added eight points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Jerrell Wade paced Ferrum with 13 points, while Derek Mitchell notched 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Keith Crump chipped in 11 points.

Washington and Lee returns to action on Wednesday as it travels to Bridgewater for a 7:00 pm contest.

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