MISENHEIMER, N.C. — Christopher Newport University used a big second half effort on Sunday to race past Pfeiffer University, 99-77. The Captains, ranked 15th in the nation, improved to 16-4 on the season while snapping a four-game Falcons winning streak. Fifth-year senior All-American Jahn Hines led five Captains in double figures with 22 points, scoring 16 during a second half that saw CNU out-score Pfeiffer, 58-39.
Pfeiffer, now 9-7, grabbed control of the game in the opening half, surging to a 13-point lead at two different junctures. The Captains trailed 24-11 with 9:40 to play in the opening half, but managed to erase the lead with a 26-12 run, jumping back in front, 37-36, with just over a minute to play in the half. CNU maintained the three-point differential until the intermission, and held a 41-38 edge at the break.
Sophomore Tyson Henderson sparked the first half comeback, scoring 13 points in the opening half, and then added eight more in the second stanza to finish with 21. Sophomore big man Ethan Ward logged his second double-double of the season by scoring 15 points and pulling down a career-high 14 rebounds. Sophomores Toa Hollenbeck (12 points) and Jason Ofcarcik (10 points) also reached double digits in the scoring column.
“I thought Tyson Henderson’s performance was really critical for us in the first half,” Head Coach John Krikorian said following the win. “Tyson took over when we really needed him, we had some foul trouble and he stepped up to give us a huge spark.”
Sophomore Brian Weiser also sparked the Captains early in the second half with two buckets as CNU began to pull away. Christopher Newport reeled off ten straight points during a stretch that saw the Captains out-score the Falcons, 31-10, and push the lead to a game-high 27 points en route to the 22-point triumph.
Jahn Hines made eight-of-17 shots for the day, and also pulled down seven rebounds for the Captains, who out-rebounded the Falcons in the game, 52-34. Hines is now 99 points behind Steve Artis for second place on CNU’s all-time scoring list.
Christopher Newport made 23 of 40 shots for 58 percent shooting in the explosive second half, and finished the afternoon at Merner Gymnasium 39 of 77 from the floor (51 percent). CNU’s defense held Pfeiffer to just 38 percent shooting for the day (23 of 60).
Sunday’s game was very similar to the last game played by CNU, which also resulted in a 22-point victory for the Captains at Cairn University last Monday. Christopher Newport trailed for most of the first half in that game in Langhorne, Pa., before unleashing a similar offensive outburst in the second half to cruise to victory, 94-72.
Pfeiffer, a member of the USA South Athletic Conference, was led by a 16-point performance from senior Daymon Beckwith. Sunday’s result evened the all-time series at 2-2. .
The victory Sunday came in the final game of a four-game road stretch for CNU that saw the Captains win three of the four contests. Christopher Newport will next host UC Santa Cruz on Saturday at the Freeman Center, with tip off set for 4:00 p.m. The game will be the first at home for CNU in a span of 27 days.
“It will definitely be good to be home,” Krikorian continued. “We’ve been tested by some good teams, and UC Santa Cruz will be another tough test. They’ve got a lot of talent and have played a really challenging schedule. I hope we have a big crowd on hand to welcome us back to the Freeman Center.”
