SALEM, Va. – In the consolation game of the Cregger Classic, Kenyon College (4-7) raced out to a big halftime lead and held on with clutch free throw shooting down the stretch to knock off Montclair State University by a 91-87 score Sunday afternoon.
 
The Lords had an outstanding showing on the offensive end hitting 55.1% from the field, connecting on half of its three-point attempts and shooting 81.6% (31-of-38) from the free throw line. Brien Comey scored a season-high 24 points while fellow senior Tim Connolly totaled 22 points including hitting 8-of-9 from the foul line. Round out the double-digit scoring efforts for Kenyon was Ethan Shapiro with 11 and Alexander Powell with a season-high 12.
 
Nearly six minutes into the first half, the Lords were struggling on the offensive end. They had committed six turnovers and totaled just seven points.
 
Red Hawks player Brandon Channer, the team's leading scorer, converted a layup at the 14:40 mark which moved Montclair's lead to 13-7.
 
But after that, Kenyon went on a massive run to seize control of the game. Down by six, the Lords started a 21-6 stretch with Bennett Grigull draining a three-pointer. Monclair State was just 1-of-9 from the field during the run. Will Sigl ended the run with a layup at the 7:39 mark which put Kenyon up 28-19.
 
MSU cut the deficit to six points (31-25) after a Channer three-pointer, but the Lords held off the small comeback and responded with a 9-0 run capped off by a Connolly layup to go up 40-25 with under 2:30 left in the half. Kenyon took a 44-31 lead into the break.
 
Second-half action ensued and the Lords held their lead despite the Red Hawks slowly chipping away at the double-digit deficit.
 
Kenyon went up as many as 19 points on three occasions with the last coming at the 16:09 mark after freshman Matt Shifrin hit a runner along the left side. That shot had the Lords up 54-35.
 
The Red Hawks didn't give up though despite the slow start to the second half.
 
With under 10 minutes left, Channer's layup brought the score to 67-58. Nearly seven minutes later, Montclair State's Jahvan Rosbia scored a layup which moved Kenyon's lead to 80-76.
 
On Kenyon's next two possessions, Shifrin sank two free throws and Comey hit a bucket to move the Lords back up eight, 84-76 with 2:05 left. Kenyon held tight in those final moments as Shifrin scored five more free throws to help ice the game.
 
The Red Hawks pulled the contest to three points (90-87) after Shaun Russell converted an and-one opportunity with five seconds left. But those would be the last points for MSU as Shifrin hit another free throw for the final tally.
 
Next up for the Lords is an NCAC contest January 6 at 7:30 against the College of Wooster.