LYNCHBURG, Va.  Methodist rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to Hampden-Sydney College and captured a 74-69 non-conference victory Saturday in the opening game of the Wayne Proffitt Classic at the University of Lynchburg.

Dante Burden and Garren Dearman led all scorers with 21 points each, but a block, defensive rebound and ensuing pair of free throws by Kaymon Mitchell with 12 seconds remaining was what iced the victory for the Monarchs. 

JUST THE FACTS
Event: Wayne Proffitt Classic
Location: Turner Gymnasium, University of Lynchburg; Lynchburg, Va.
Final score: Methodist def. Hampden-Sydney, 74-69
Records: Methodist 3-0, Hampden-Sydney 0-2

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Tigers trailed by three with the game clock ticking toward the 10-second mark, with Jack Wyatt driving into the lane hoping for a layup and a foul. Instead, Mitchell blocked the shot, came away with the rebound and was fouled by Wyatt. Two Mitchell free throws later that one-possession edge had turned into a five-point winning margin.
• Though Hampden-Sydney had come back to regain a lead prior to Mitchell's feats, the real turning point of the contest came with the Monarchs trailing 52-44 at the 14:47 mark of the second half.
• Methodist had fallen behind by as many as 12 points in the first half and entered the halftime break down 42-31. And the Tigers added to that deficit with a jumper after breaking from the halftime recess.
• However, the 13-point lead was whittled down to eight points five minutes later.
• Burden began the come-back when he rained down a 3-pointer to initiate a 12-2 run that was filled with consecutive treys from four different Monarchs. Calvin Manley, Kevin McLaughlin Jr. and Dearman followed Burden's arc to lift Methodist in front, 56-54, for the first time since the 12:43 mark of the first half.
• Hampden-Sydney did rally, forging a 68-64 lead at the 4-minute mark, but a McLaughlin Jr. layup, Burden defensive rebound and made jumper evened things back up.
• McLaughlin Jr. and Mitchell each scored to elevate the Monarchs back in front, setting up Mitchell's clutch finish at both ends of the court.

GAME NOTES

• Hampden-Sydney dominated the glass, piling up a 41-29 edge in rebounds, but Methodist turned the tables in the turnover department. The Monarchs forced 21 turnovers and generated an equal 21 points off those miscues.
• While the 'bigs' from Hampden-Sydney helped off the rim, the speed of the Methodist attack led to a 17-0 advantage in fast-break points.
• Part of Burden's 21-point effort included a 4-for-4 afternoon from the free throw line.
• Mitchell netted eight points on the afternoon, but he was also perfect from the line, his 2-for-2 effort icing the victory.
• McLaughlin Jr. added 15 points, nine of which came from behind the arc.

UP NEXT
Methodist takes on host Lynchburg Sunday at 3 p.m. in the concluding game of the Wayne Proffitt Classic.