SALEM, Va. – Seventh-seeded Washington and Lee placed five players in double-figures, but it wasn't enough, as third-seeded Emory & Henry held on for a 69-67 victory in the semifinals of the ODAC men's basketball tournament on Saturday at the Salem Civic Center.

The Generals led by as many as 12 points in the first half, using an 18-7 run over a span of 5:35 to take a 36-24 lead with 1:41 left before the intermission.  Sophomore forward Roy McMillan (Raleigh, N.C. / Broughton) and senior guard Andy Kleinlein (Chesterfield, Mo. / Chaminade College Prep) opened the run with back-to-back three-pointers and sophomore guard Devin Kearns (Cibolo, Texas / Samuel Clemens) finished off the surge with a layup.

Emory & Henry (20-7) stemmed the tide by scoring the final six points before the break, including a three-pointer by junior guard John Shelor with three seconds left, as the Blue & White carried a 36-30 lead into the intermission.

Junior forward Clayton Murtha (Dallas, Texas / Highland Park) hit a layup at the 18:55 mark of the second half to make it an eight-point game (38-30), but W&L then went cold, missing nine of its next 10 shots as the Wasps used a 20-4 run to take a 50-42 lead with 13:21 left to play.

The Generals slowly chipped away at the deficit, cutting it to a one-point contest (57-56) following a three-pointer by sophomore guard Alex Starr (Upper Saddle River, N.J. / Northern Highlands Regional) and a free throw from Murtha with 6:38 left. 

E&H could not pull away and never led by more than four points until a pair of free throws gave the Wasps a 69-64 lead and put the game away with just two seconds left.

W&L had several chances to pull even or take the lead down the stretch, but came up just short.  Kleinlein hit a three-pointer with 47 seconds left that made it 65-64 game, and the Generals defense forced a missed three-pointer by Shelor with 21 seconds left.  However, sophomore forward Aaron Ferguson came away with the offensive rebound and was fouled immediately.  He hit both free throws, giving the Wasps a 67-64 lead with 17 seconds remaining.

The Generals got a good look from beyond the arc for Kleinlein with seven seconds left, but it was deflected.  Murtha got the offensive rebound and kicked it to Kearns, whose shot with five seconds left came up just short.  W&L fouled Ferguson with two seconds left and he made both to put the game away.  Kearns hit a shot from half court as time expired to provide the final margin.

W&L shot 41.8 percent (23-55) from the field and 10-of-22 (.455) from three, but hit just 11-of-17 (.647) free throws.  The Generals were also out-rebounded, 41-32.  Kleinlein led the way with 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.  McMillan totaled 13 points and five rebounds, while Starr totaled 12 points and five boards.  Kearns and Murtha added 11 points each, with Murtha also collecting eight rebounds, three assists and three blocks.

Ferguson notched 16 points and 13 rebounds in just 20 minutes to pace the Wasps.  Senior guard Ryan Gravley and junior forward Chase Branscomb scored 12 points apiece, with Branscomb also pulling in eight boards.

With the loss, Washington and Lee ended its 2017 season with a 13-15 overall record.  E&H advances to the ODAC title game, where it will face top-seeded Guilford on Sunday.

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