College Men’s Basketball Final – Washington and Lee 81, Guilford 63 (ODAC Tournament)

SALEM, Va. – Devin Kearns’ 20 points led five Generals in double-figure scoring in Washington and Lee University’s 81-63 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament quarterfinal victory over Guilford College Friday night in the Salem Civic Center.

The third-seeded Generals (16-9) advance to a Saturday (2/24) semifinal matchup with number-two Roanoke College, an 87-75 winner over Lynchburg College earlier Friday. The Quakers end their season with a 15-12 overall record.

Kearns, a First Team All-ODAC point guard, set the tone early with three first-half three-pointers and 11 points. The Generals drained nine-of-15 shots (60%) from beyond the arc in the opening frame to open a 45-25 halftime lead. Washington and Lee shot 55.2 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. The Quakers managed just 29 percent field-goal shooting and missed all six three-point shots in the same time.

Guilford rallied to start the second half and drew to within 55-50 on Marcus Curry’s (Greensboro, N.C./Northern Guilford (Bridgewater)) traditional three-point play with 10:48 left in regulation. His basket and free throw capped a 25-10 run. Kevin Dennin answered for the Generals with two three-pointers in three possessions, which restored Washington and Lee’s lead to 11. After Curry’s three-point play, the Quakers made just one of eight field goals and the Generals took off on a 15-2 run capped by Clayton Murtha’s three-point play with 5:27 to go.

Murtha, another First Team All-ODAC selection, posted one of the Generals’ two double-doubles with 13 points and 14 rebounds, plus five assists. Teammate Roy McMillan added 11 points and a game-best 15 rebounds, all on the defensive glass, which helped the Generals to a 45-37 rebounding edge. Dennin, who joined Kearns with a game-best four three-pointers, added 14 points off the bench. Nicholas George scored 15 points.

Curry’s 22 points paced Guilford, which shot 34.3 percent for the game and made three-of-17 three-point shots. Carson Long (Pilot Mountain, N.C./East Surry) finished with 14 points and eight rebounds and teammate Kyler Gregory added 12 points off the bench.