SALEM, Virginia - The No. 16 VWU men's basketball team defeated the Hornets from the University of Lynchburg 70-67 on Saturday evening in ODAC Men's Basketball Championship Tournament in Salem, Va. The Marlins move to 23-4 overall and advance to the championship game against the No. 5 Yellow-Jackets of Randolph-Macon College, while the Hornets are now 15-12 and end their season in the ODAC semifinals.

INSIDE THE SCORE
The game began with the Hornets taking an early 5-0 lead in the opening minute and a half of action but the Marlins countered with a 7-2 run knotting the score at seven-all as the clock ticked under 17 minutes to play in the first half. Lynchburg opened a four-point lead, 11-7, before Virginia Wesleyan responded on a 9-0 run taking a 16-11 lead that they held until the 13-minute mark. Lynchburg fought back within one, 16-15, and overtook Virginia Wesleyan 19-18 following a jumper from Reggie Davis with just under 10 minutes until halftime. The final ten minutes of the first half saw the score change hands four times and tie five times before the horn went off with Lynchburg leading by one 37-36.

Virginia Wesleyan came out of the halftime break on a 7-2 run taking a 43-39 lead by the 18-minute mark. Lynchburg came back to knot the game at 45 all just after the clock ticked under 17 minutes but the Marlins took off on a 9-0 run to lead 54-45 until 13:01 when the Hornets hit a three to pull within six, 54-48. Neither team found a bucket for 2:20 when Fisher finally ended the scoreless drought for both teams on a layup at 10:52. Percy Burt followed with a layup of his own to give VWU a ten-point, 58-48 lead with under ten and a half to play. The Marlins held on to their nine- to 11-point lead through the next eight minutes before Lynchburg hit a three to close the game to six points, 66-60, with 2:01 to play. The Hornets' Davis hit a layup closing the game to just three points, 67-64, with 21 seconds remaining but the Marlins held off the Hornets and closed out the game with a narrow 70-67.

NO. 16 VIRGINIA WESLEYAN LEADERS
The Marlins were led by Corey Pelham with a career-high 30 points as he shot 8-of-15 from the field including 5-of-8 three-pointers and converted 9-of-10 free throws. Tim Fisher and Daniel Spencer were the last two Marlins with double-digits recording 13 and 12 points respectively. Percy Burt was one point and two rebounds shy of a double-double as he tallied nine points and eight rebounds. 

LYNCHBURG LEADERS
The Hornets were led by Chance Greene with 18 points with T.C. Thacker close behind with 15 points and eight rebounds. Reggie Davis was the last Hornet in double digits with 12 points. 

KEY MOMENT
The key moment of the game came in the second half when the Marlins took a 9-point lead following a 9-0 run to give them the chance that they took and ran with.

UP NEXT
No. 16 Virginia Wesleyan Marlins have earned a spot in the 2020 ODAC Men's Basketball Championship game against the No. 5 Yellow-Jackets of Randolph-Macon College. First tip is scheduled for 3:30 PM.