GREENSBORO, N.C. – Gabriel Lowder (Yadkinville, N.C./North Forsyth) matched his season high with 21 points and teammate Josh Pittman (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) added 17 in Guilford College’s 79-73 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball win over Eastern Mennonite University Saturday.
Eastern Mennonite sophomore Dajon Daniel hit his first six shots, including five three-pointers and almost single-handedly staked the Royals (6-9, 1-5 ODAC) to an early 10-point lead. Behind Lowder’s 12 first-half points and nine from Pittman, the Quakers (11-5, 5-2 ODAC) worked their way back and eventually gained a 46-38 halftime advantage. Daniel had 22 of his game-high 27 points in the first half, but Guilford outscored the Royals, 24-8, in the period’s final nine minutes. The Quakers shot over 56 percent from the floor in the first half.
Daniel cooled in the second half and the teams played fairly evenly until a brief spurt opened a 66-53 Guilford lead with 7:39 remaining. Adam Burroughs’ three-pointer capped a 10-1 Eastern Mennonite run at the 4:17 mark, but the Royals drew no closer.
Guilford freshman Will Freeman had 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Teammate Brad Monroe (Asheboro, N.C./Eastern Randolph) added a team-high nine boards and helped the Quakers enjoy a 49-37 edge in rebounds.
Andrew Thorne helped Eastern Mennonite stay close in the second half when he scored 13 of his 16 points. He also had a game-best 10 rebounds. R.J. Sims finished with 12 points for the Royals.
Guilford hosts league-rival Emory & Henry Wednesday (1/18) at 7:00 p.m.
Eastern Mennonite vs Guilford
01/14/12 3:00 pm at Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House
GUILFORD – 79
EASTERN MENNONITE – 73
EASTERN MENNONITE (6-9, 1-5 ODAC): DANIEL, Dajon 8-13 5-9 27; THORNE, Andrew 5-9 6-11 16; SIMS, R.J. 4-11 3-4 12; BURROUGHS, Adam 3-8 0-0 8; HEIZER, Jeremy 2-5 0-1 4; WILLIAMS, James 1-1 1-2 3; YATES, Ryan 1-3 0-0 2; LONGACRE, Owen 0-7 1-2 1; SHEPPARD, Corey 0-0 0-0 0; GRAY, J.R. 0-0 0-0 0; SMITH, Randell 0-0 0-0 0; FALK, David 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-59 16-29 73.
GUILFORD (11-5, 5-2 ODAC): LOWDER, Gabriel 6-12 6-6 21; PITTMAN, Josh 4-14 7-8 17; FREEMAN, Will 5-13 1-8 11; SULLIVAN, Carson 3-8 2-5 8; EFIRD, Gene 3-3 2-2 8; GIBBS, Kevin 1-2 4-5 6; McCARTHY, Matt 1-1 0-0 3; STAFFORD, Justin 1-2 0-0 2; MONROE, Brad 1-3 0-0 2; HINTON, Jarred 0-0 1-4 1; HOPKINS, Jake 0-1 0-0 0; TURPIN, Clarence 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 23-38 79.
Eastern Mennonite............. 38 35 - 73 Guilford...................... 46 33 - 79
3-point goals–Eastern Mennonite 9-26 (DANIEL, Dajon 6-10; BURROUGHS, Adam 2-6; SIMS, R.J. 1-4; LONGACRE, Owen 0-3; HEIZER, Jeremy 0-2; THORNE, Andrew 0-1), Guilford 6-16 (LOWDER, Gabriel 3-6; PITTMAN, Josh 2-7; McCARTHY, Matt 1-1; SULLIVAN, Carson 0-2).
Fouled out–Eastern Mennonite-None, Guilford-None.
Rebounds–Eastern Mennonite 37 (THORNE, Andrew 10), Guilford 49 (MONROE, Brad 9).
Assists–Eastern Mennonite 15 (DANIEL, Dajon 5), Guilford 13 (PITTMAN, Josh 6).
Total fouls–Eastern Mennonite 29, Guilford 22.
Technical fouls–Eastern Mennonite-None, Guilford-None.
A-567
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game