NEWPORT NEWS, VA. - A blistering hot Methodist University men's
basketball team shot 55% from the floor for the game and outscored
the Builders 11-3 in the last 63 seconds for a 74-67 victory over
the Apprentice School on Saturday.
The first half saw eight ties and 10 lead changes as neither
team held more than a five point lead. Methodist opened the
game scoring the first five points, but the Builders answered
forcing the first tie at 10-all on a Ryan Davis layup with 13:25
left. A Nolan Thompson 3-pointer with nine seconds left in
the first half closed the scoring with a 33-all tie.
In the second half, the Builders jumped out to their biggest
lead on an Eric Ruffin layup with 14:09 left for a 45-39 advantage.
The Monarchs responded with a 10-4 run to force the first tie of
the second half at 49-all on a 3-pointer from Billy McDade with
10:07 remaining.
After the teams traded brief leads over the next few minutes,
the Builders took what turned into their last lead on a pair of
Jason Arrington free throws with 1:22 left for a 64-63 lead.
AB Lehmann then scored the next five points for Methodist on a
3-pointer and a pair of free throws as the Monarchs pulled away
late for the win.
Ruffin was the leading scorer in the game for Apprentice School
with 18 points, eight assists and six steals. The Builders
forced 30 turnovers and set a school single-game record with 24
steals. Fred Spratley added 13 points and a team-high eight
rebounds and Arrington added 10 points and four assists.
Methodist was paced by Lehmann, Travis McBryde and Antwin Shuford
with 15 apiece. Shuford also hauled in a game-high 15
rebounds.
Apprentice School returns to action on Sunday at 2 pm with a
matchup against Averett University at home.
METHODIST 74, APPRENTICE SCHOOL 67
METHODIST (3-1): Lehmann 4-8 4-4 15, Winstead 1-1 0-0 3, Thomas
2-3 0-1 6, McDade 4-11 2-3 12, Shuford 6-7 3-8 15, Smith 2-6 2-2 6,
Lane 0-1 0-0 0, Connor 1-2 0-0 2, Sigman 0-0 0-0 0, McBryde 6-8 3-5
15. Totals 26-47 14-23 74.
APPRENTICE (1-3): Cherry 0-1 0-0 0, Spratley 6-11 1-2 13, Ruffin
8-17 2-4 18, Arrington 3-11 4-4 10, Washington 1-2 0-0 2, Paige 3-6
0-0 6, Scott 0-2 0-0 0, Davis 1-1 1-1 3, Thompson 3-6 0-0 7, Joe
3-5 0-2 6, Johnson 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 29-67 8-13 67.
Halftime: 33-all. 3-point goals: MU 8-20 (Lehmann 3-7,
Winstead 1-1, Thomas 2-2, McDade 2-7, smith 0-1, Lane 0-1, McBryde
0-1); NNA 1-11 (Cherry 0-1, Ruffin 0-2, Arrington 0-3, Paige 0-1,
Scott 0-1, Thompson 1-3). Rebounds: MU 35 (Shuford 15);
Apprentice 33 (Spratley 8). Total fouls: MU 13, Apprentice
22. Fouled out: McBryde, Joe, Paige. Assists: MU 20
(Lehmann 6); Apprentice 18 (Ruffin 8). Technical:
Arrington. Att.: 247.
