LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Senior Art Crew scored the first five points of overtime Wednesday to help guide No. 7 Virginia Wesleyan College to a 73-62 Old Dominion Athletic Conference win over the host Hornets of Lynchburg College.

Crew (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) ignited an 11-0 OT period for the Marlins who improved to 20-3 overall, giving VWC its eighth 20+ win season in the last nine years.

But, it wasn't a breeze for the Marlins, who rolled past the Hornets by 28 points earlier in the season.  Lynchburg (14-10, 8-7) led by six points in the second half, but could not build on it.  VWC overcame a flat performance to eventually tie the score in a game that saw the teams trade leads through the final 12 minutes of regulation play.

Nate Campbell (Cary, N.C./Cary) hit a timely triple to give the Hornets a 62-60 lead with 2:36 remaining in regulation play.  But, that turned out to be the final basket of the game for Lynchburg.  Junior Chris Astorga (Suffolk, Va./Virginia Beach Cape Henry Collegiate) tied the score at 62 with a jumper at 1:31.

That was the final basket of regulation, sending the game into overtime where Virginia Wesleyan was the only team to score.

Virginia Wesleyan, which improved to a league-leading 12-2, led by as many as seven points early in the game.  But, Lynchburg came back strong and pushed out in front 30-23 with 1:51 remaining in the first half.  Crew came through for the Marlins however, scoring five points in the closing seconds to pull the Marlins within a 32-29 score by halftime.

Junior Tre' Ford (Falls Church, Va./J.E.B. Stuart) hit a career-high 19 points to lead the Marlins, hitting 3-of-6 three pointers.  He also dished out a team-high four assists. Astorga added 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, senior Donald Vaughn (Woodbridge, Va./Dumfries Potomac) added 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.  Crew finished with 10 points.

Campbell paced Lynchburg with 15 points.  Tucker Lucas (Herndon, Va./Herndon) added 12 points and Austin Chillemi (Richmond, Va./Trinity Episcopal) contributed 11 points.

Virginia Wesleyan closes the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 18, and Sunday, Feb. 19, with two games at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.  The Marlins entertain Emory & Henry College on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Washington & Lee University on Sunday, at 2 p.m.

--AMDG--