Grantham, PA - Messiah men's basketball kept it close for most of the game, trailing by two at the half, but Hood College pulled away down the stretch to win by a final score of 70-57.
 
In his final home game in Brubaker Auditorium, senior Josh Clippinger recorded a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds, as well as three steals. Fellow senior Luke Cable tallied three points and two steals. Rob McWilliams had a great first-half, going 3-5 from beyond the arc for 11 points, and finished the game with 15 and seven rebounds. The Falcons shot a paltry 8-34 (23.5%) from deep in the game, and 21-61 (34.4%) from the field.
 
With the loss, Messiah has been knocked out of MAC Commonwealth tournament contention, as they are two games back of the fifth and final spot with just one game remaining on the schedule. They fall to 12-11 (7-8 MAC Commonwealth), while Hood improves to 15-9 (7-8 MAC Commonwealth).
 
After back-and-forth action to start the game, the Falcons went on a 13-0 run that was sparked by two triples and a layup from McWilliams, taking a 20-8 lead with 12:46 remaining in the first-half.
 
However, the Blazers countered with a run of their own, outscoring Messiah 19-4 over the next seven minutes to take a three-point lead, 27-24. Luke Cable took the lead back a few possessions later with a deep three, and then a high-arcing triple from Neil Murren gave Messiah a five-point lead, 36-31, with 1:48 to play in the half.
 
Hood would score the final six points of the period on a three and an and-one layup on the fast break, both by Michael Robinson, to take a 37-36 halftime lead. The Blazers shot well in the half, going 12-22 (54.5%) from the field and 5-11 (45.5%) from deep.
 
After Jared Ruiz buried a three-pointer to open the half to increase the Hood lead to four, Messiah responded with six quick unanswered points, capped by a Logan Long triple, to take a 42-40 lead.
 
Messiah held a four-point lead, 47-43, with 14:07 to play in the game, but an 11-3 run by the Blazers turned the tables on the Falcons, who then found themselves down by four, 54-50, at the 8:07 mark.
 
Logan Long would bury a three from the corner on the next possession to bring the Falcons back within a point, but that was as close as they would get, as Messiah only mustered four more points in the final 7:56, including none in the last two minutes and 46 seconds. Hood shot well from the free-throw line down the stretch, and won by a final score of 70-57.
 
The Falcons will finish their season on Saturday when they travel to Albright College at 4:00 p.m.