The Basics
• Score: Davis & Elkins 99, WVU Tech 88
• Records: D&E (5-7), WVU Tech (9-6)
• Location: McDonnell Center (Elkins, WV)

Inside the Numbers:

• Both teams opened the first half trading buckets and seven minutes into the game D&E held an 18-17 lead.  The Senators widened their lead with an 8-0 run over the next four minutes to pull ahead 26-17.   
• D&E pushed the lead to double-digits with 6:23 to go before the intermission leading 35-25.   WVU Tech cut the margin back to single digits on a Paul Stone layup with 2:38 to go before the break.  Stone finished with a game-high 37 points on 16-for-21 shooting from the floor and added 12 boards.
• However, D&E closed the half with a flurry outscroring the Golden Bears 13-2 down the stretch to lead 51-32.  The Senators shot 48.6% from the floor in the first half, but were 10-for-15 from downtown 66.7%.   Teron Owens paced the Senators with 12 in the first half and Wesley Sprinkle added 11 points (3-for-5 from beyond the arc).
• D&E expanded their advantage to its largest of the game at 26 points leading 64-38 with 14:35 remaining in the game.  Already playing the game without leading scorer and 6-6 forward Kevin Bracy-Davis to illness, D&E took another hit to its low-post presence when Rickenjee Bellevue went down with a leg injury at the 13:04 mark.  
• WV Tech's 6-6 Stone took full advantage of the depleted D&E low post scoring 28 second-half points including 19 points over the 10 minutes (five layups, two dunks, one jumper and one three-pointer helping WV Tech cut the D&E lead to single digits once again at 84-76 with 4:01 remaining.    
• D&E withstood the challenge and capitalized on their free throws down the stretch hitting 10-of-12 from the charity stripe in the final 1:33 to secure the 99-88 victory.
• Sprinkle finished with 18 points and five assists for the Senators, while Teron Owens added 16 points.

Senator Synopsis: 
"Great victory for our team today against a good WVU Tech team," D&E head coach Nick Patella said. "We became a little nonchalant in the second half with our defensive effort, but we regained focus & made big free throws down the stretch that were the difference in the outcome. We're getting better but still have to realize our weaknesses and get better for conference play."

What's Next:
D&E hosts Bluefield State (WV) Tuesday, January 5 at 7:30 p.m.