MONTGOMERY, Ala.- Huntingdon Men's Basketball returned to action in Roland Arena on Thursday night and built an early cushion before withstanding a late push to defeat Asbury, 89-80.

The Hawks set the tone early, opening the contest with an 8-0 run behind a pair of three-pointers from Owen LaRocca and Tyler Mallory. Huntingdon continued to apply pressure throughout the first half, capitalizing on turnovers and strong perimeter shooting to build a double-digit advantage and take a 47-31 lead into the break.

At halftime of tonight's contest, Huntingdon recognized alumni of the men's basketball program, highlighting the 25th anniversary of the 2000-2001 squad's NSCAA National Championship. Among those present tonight was the team's assistant coach Tracy Buckhannon, Dan Ogle, Robb McGaughey, Jason Green, Larry Wright, Rob Nickles, and Keith Frazier.

First Half

Huntingdon wasted little time finding a rhythm offensively, as LaRocca knocked down three triples in the opening six minutes to help the Hawks jump out to an early lead. Asbury struggled to generate consistent offense in the half, while Huntingdon continued to push the pace and extend its advantage. A late three-pointer from LaRocca capped a strong opening 20 minutes for the Hawks, who entered halftime with a 16-point lead.

Second Half

The Hawks carried their momentum into the early stages of the second half, stretching the lead to as many as 24 points following a layup from Eric Moore with just over 10 minutes remaining. Asbury responded with a run of its own, chipping away at the deficit behind timely shooting and forcing turnovers to draw within four points, 77-73, with under two minutes to play.

Facing pressure late, Huntingdon turned to its veteran backcourt. Tyler Mallory connected on a clutch three-pointer with 1:17 remaining, followed by another deep ball moments later to halt the Asbury run and reestablish control. The Hawks closed out the contest from the free-throw line to secure the 89-80 victory.

Hawk Top Performers

#14 Owen LaRocca – 23 points, 5 three-pointers, 8-for-8 free throws
#24 Tyler Mallory – 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals
#20 Skyler Stovall – 14 points, 4 steals

The Hawks will look to keep rolling as they host Piedmont University tomorrow, February 7th for Senior Day. Tip-off is set for 4:00 PM CT.