College Men’s Basketball Final – Guilford 70, Bridgewater (Va.) 64

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Alston Thompson (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy) totaled a career-high 20 points and 12 rebounds off the bench in Guilford College’s 70-64 basketball win over visiting Bridgewater in the Quakers’ Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) opener.

Thompson, a 6-6 freshman forward, had missed Guilford’s previous four games due to injury. He checked into the game midway through the first half with Bridgewater holding a 13-point lead. The margin grew to as many as 14 before Thompson sparked a 16-3 Quakers’ rally that pulled the hosts to within 32-31 at halftime. Thompson collected eight points and three rebounds in the first half, which helped offset the 11 points Bridgewater’s D.J. Caldwell (Charlotte, N.C./Concord First Assembly) netted in the opening frame.

Guilford’s run extended into the second half as the Quakers (4-2, 1-0 ODAC) opened a 38-32 lead on a Will Freeman free throw with 17:18 remaining. The Eagles (3-4, 1-1 ODAC) answered with a 12-1 spurt over the next three minutes and took a 44-39 advantage.

The lead changed hands three times and the score was tied five times in the second half. Trevor Mayo’s (Greensboro, N.C./Greensboro Day) runner in the lane broke the contest’s final draw and triggered a decisive 10-0 Quakers’ run over a two-minute span. Jarrod Rogers (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) hit a long three-pointer during the outburst, which was capped by a Freeman free throw at the 5:44 mark that opened a 59-49 Guilford lead, it’s largest of the game.
A Cameron Thurston three-pointer with 2:20 remaining drew the Eagles to within 64-61. Mayo answered at the other end with an inside basket and knocked down a free throw on Guilford’s next possession to restore a 67-61 lead. The Eagles missed five straight field goals shots after Thurston’s triple before the junior made another, but it came with 10 seconds left and provided the game’s final score.

Guilford’s Thompson made four-of-five shots from the floor and drained 12-of-15 free throws. He made the most free throws in a game by a Quaker since 2010. His 12 rebounds included six offensive caroms and helped Guilford to a commanding 48-33 edge in rebounding. The Quakers collected 18 offensive rebounds, which led to 23 second-chance points, compared to the Eagles’ three second-chance points. Freeman scored all 10 of his points in the second half. Mayo and Justen Best (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill (Tennessee Temple)) also tallied 10 in the win. ODAC rebounding leader Zachary Houston contributed seven points, 11 boards and three steals.

Bridgewater’s Thurston led all scorers with 23 points, 13 in the second half. Caldwell finished with 16 behind a game-best four three-pointers. Jesse Case and Kevin Saylor both added eight for the Eagles, who were outscored in the paint, 28-18.

Coach Tom Palombo’s Quakers host Emory University Sunday (12/6) at 3:00 p.m. in nonleague play.

Bridgewater vs Guilford
12/05/15 3:00 p.m. at Greensboro, N.C.-Ragan-Brown Field House
At Greensboro, N.C.-Ragan-Brown Field House
GUILFORD 70
BRIDGEWATER 64

BRIDGEWATER (3-4, 1-1 ODAC) THURSTON, Cameron 8-14 3-5 23; CALDWELL, DJ 4-11 4-6 16; CASE, Jesse 3-11 1-1 8; SAYLOR, Kevin 2-4 2-2 8; CROWELL, Romello 1-2 1-1 3; DENNIS, Keonte 0-1 2-2 2; SEACRIST, Logan 1-5 0-2 2; BALFOUR, Efe 1-2 0-1 2; BARNES, Norman 0-0 0-0 0; WALTERS, Brandon 0-0 0-0 0; HOWARD, Maalik 0-0 0-0 0; RAY,
Trenton 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-52 13-20 64.

GUILFORD (4-2, 1-0 ODAC) THOMPSON, Alston 4-5 12-15 20; BEST, Justen 4-14 0-0 10; FREEMAN, Will 3-8 4-7 10; MAYO, Trevor 4-8 1-2 10; HOUSTON, Zachary 1-4 4-6 7; BRYANT, John 2-5 2-2 6; HYATT, Trever 2-8 0-0 4; ROGERS, Jarrod 1-7 0-0 3; LONG, Carson 0-2 0-0 0; METZ, AJ 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-61 23-32 70.

Bridgewater...................   32   32  -   64
Guilford......................   31   39  -   70

3-point goals–Bridgewater 11-25 (CALDWELL, DJ 4-9; THURSTON, Cameron 4-8; SAYLOR, Kevin 2-2; CASE, Jesse 1-2; RAY, Trenton 0-2; SEACRIST, Logan 0-2), Guilford 5-17 (BEST, Justen 2-8; HOUSTON, Zachary 1-3; MAYO, Trevor 1-1; ROGERS, Jarrod 1-1; LONG, Carson 0-2; HYATT, Trever 0-2).
Fouled out–Bridgewater-None, Guilford-None.
Rebounds–Bridgewater 33 (CALDWELL, DJ 5), Guilford 48 (THOMPSON, Alston 12).
Assists–Bridgewater 13 (CROWELL, Romello 5), Guilford 8 (ROGERS, Jarrod 4).
Total fouls–Bridgewater 27, Guilford 20.
Technical fouls–Bridgewater-None, Guilford-None.
A-300
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game