WINCHESTER, Va. – Shenandoah jumped out to a 19-5 lead to start the game and held on for a 74-68 victory over Washington and Lee in ODAC men's basketball action on Wednesday evening at Shingleton Gymnasium.

The Generals (8-12, 4-7) missed 12 of their first 13 shots from the floor and the Hornets (8-12, 4-7) took advantage in opening the early 14-point advantage.  SU led by as many as 15 points (28-13) in the first half, but W&L chipped away at the deficit and cut it to single digits (32-23) with a 7-2 run to end the half.

Sophomore guard Devin Kearns (Cibolo, Texas / Samuel Clemens) hit a jumper in the first minute of the second half to make it a seven-point game (32-25), but the Hornets went on an immediate 7-0 run to push the lead back to 14 points (39-25) with 17:29 remaining.

Shenandoah continued to lengthen its advantage, taking a 58-41 lead with 8:39 remaining on a three-point play by junior forward Evan Bates.  However, the game turned at that point, as the Generals used a 17-1 run to pull within one point (59-58) with 2:53 left. 

Junior forward Clayton Murtha (Dallas, Texas / Highland Park) got the run started with a layup at the 8:29 mark and he scored 11 total points during the spurt, including a three-point play that cut the Hornets' lead to one point.

Shenandoah held the Generals off though, as senior guard Dalon McHugh scored on layups on back-to-back possessions, and free throws by senior guard E.J. Baltimore and a dunk by junior guard Kwa McDonald completed an 8-0 run that pushed the lead back to nine points (67-58) with 1:16 remaining.  W&L could get no closer than five points the rest of the way as the Hornets survived to win their second straight contest.

W&L shot just 39.1 percent from the floor (25-64) and went just 13-of-24 (.542) from the free throw line.  Murtha led the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds.  Kearns, senior guard Andy Kleinlein (Chesterfield, Mo. / Chaminade College Prep) and junior guard Nicholas George (Charleston, W. Va. / Charleston Catholic) each scored eight points.

Shenandoah hit 24-of-49 (.490) shots from the field and 20-of-29 (.690) from the charity stripe.  Senior guard Malcolm Clark tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds, while McDonald had 18 points and six board.  Bates added 10 markers.

Washington and Lee returns to action on Saturday when it hosts Guilford for a 2:00 pm contest.

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