Lyndonville, VT – Vermont State University Lyndon overcame an early 12-point deficit and used a strong finish to the first half to take control in a 91-81 victory over Colby-Sawyer College in the opening game of the Vermont State University Tip-Off Classic Friday evening at George W. Stannard Gymnasium.
Colby-Sawyer came out strong, building a 17-5 advantage in the opening minutes behind its aggressive offensive play. Mike Hills and Jack Thibodeau helped lead the early Charger attack, while Brady Rogers added a fast-break basket. Lyndon began chipping away at the deficit behind Javen Reid (Wheeling, IL), who connected on three three-pointers during the first half. Christian Hathorn (Wilder, VT) added a three-pointer and converted the ensuing free throw to bring the Hornets within one. Isaiah Allison (Troy, NY) then gave Lyndon its first lead, converting a steal into a layup and free throw with 3:50 remaining. Owen Traynor (Rutland, VT) followed with a fast-break three-pointer, and the Hornets closed the half on a 16-6 run to take a 41-33 lead into the break.
Lyndon continued its momentum after halftime, shooting 56.3 percent from the floor in the second half while extending its advantage. The Hornets' lead reached double digits, and they maintained enough separation to withstand Colby-Sawyer's efforts to get back into the contest. The Chargers shot 43.8 percent after halftime and received continued production from Hills and Will Ehlen, who combined for 40 points.
Reid paced the Hornets with 15 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, while grabbing seven rebounds. Xavier Rainwater (Rosharon, TX) added 14 points off the bench, and Allison finished with 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds without committing a turnover. Tyler Bergmans (Ferrisburgh, VT) contributed 12 points and five rebounds, while Dylan Hosford (Richfield Springs, NY) added nine points, including three three-pointers. Traynor chipped in eight points.
Colby-Sawyer was led by Hills, who scored a game-high 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Ehlen added 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Tobey Bellows scored 15 points and Thibodeau finished with 11 points and three steals. The Chargers shot 38.7 percent from the floor and 23.8 percent from three-point range.
Lyndon shot 52.5 percent overall and connected on 13-of-25 attempts from three-point range. The Hornets also received 44 points from their bench, compared to 29 for Colby-Sawyer.
With the win, Lyndon opens the season at 1-0, while Colby-Sawyer falls to 0-1. The Hornets will face Vermont State University Randolph, a 102-82 winner over Vermotn State University Johnson, in Saturday's championship game of the Vermont State University Tip-Off Classic at 3:00 p.m. VTSU Johnson and Colby-Sawyer will meet in the consolation game at 1:00 p.m.
