MURFREESBORO, N.C. – The Chowan Men's Basketball team picked up a much needed CIAA Northern Division win against Virginia Union in a televised contest on Saturday evening.
THE BASICS
FINAL | Chowan 83, Virginia Union 70
RECORDS | Chowan 8-11 (3-7), Virginia Union 11-12 (6-5)
LOCATION | Murfreesboro, N.C. (Helms Center)
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Five Hawks scored in double-figures led by Tim Hewett with 23 points. Demetrius Sanders and Gus Rowland chipped in with 18 and 17 points respectively. Robert Grubbs and Dino Muminovic notched 11 and 10.
Dino Muminovic tallied a double-double on the evening with 14 rebounds to go with his 10 points and six blocks. Gus Rowland dished out a career-high eight assists.
Chowan shot 60% from the floor in the second half and held Virginia Union to 31% in the final 20 minutes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half:
Robert Grubbs drained a three to open the scoring for the Hawks before the Panthers went on a 10-0 run to take the lead. Brandon Mayhan connected on the front-end of the three point play to end the run. Demetrius Sanders connected from deep to close the gap to 13-8.
Virginia Union kept the advantage in their favor as Robert Grubbs scored the next six points for the Hawks. The Panthers would go up by double-figures before Tim Hewett and Dino Muminovic tallied baskets to bring the contest to six, 24-18.
The Panthers pushed their lead back to double-figures, 29-18, midway through the half. Chowan would start chipping away at the deficit at the 5:13 mark as Gus Rowland knocked down a trey. Rowland swiped the dribble on the next possession pushing the ball to Tim Hewett for the fastbreak layup.
Down 43-29, Gus Rowland drained another triple followed by a jumper by Tim Hewett closed the gap down to single digits. Hewett would connect on a corner three at the buzzer to head into the locker room trailing 45-39.
Second Half:
Demetrius Sanders notched a dunk to start the second half, but a 7-0 run by the Panthers took the deficit back to double-figures. Chowan rallied with a 15-2 run to take the lead, 56-54, with 14:03 to play.
A quick five point spurt by Gus Rowland shifted the momentum in favor of the Hawks. Demetrius Sanders continued the momentum with a play above the rim. Tim Hewett got in on the action with a jumper. Sanders tallied five quick points to give the Hawks the lead.
Both teams traded baskets until Tim Hewett converted from the charity stripe to hand the lead back to the Hawks for good, 62-60.
Dino Muminovic knocked down a jumper to give the Hawks a 65-60 lead before a pair of freebies by the Panthers slowed the attack. VUU trimmed the deficit to three, 67-64 with just over five minutes to play, but Tim Hewett and Robert Grubbs pushed the lead back to five.
The Hawks' lead would grow from the charity stripe going 6-6 down the stretch. Demetrius Sanders put the game away with his third dunk of the night.
UP NEXT
Chowan welcomes cross-town rival, Elizabeth City State, on February 7 in a CIAA Northern Division clash. Tip-off is slated for 7:30pm.
