FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Host Mary Washington used a big run Saturday night to finish the first half on its way to an 85-68 men's basketball victory over Shenandoah on the opening night of the 2015 South Region Challenge.

The Hornets led for all but two possessions in the initial 8:50 of the contest but found themselves down by 11 at halftime as Mary Washington outscored SU 21-9 over the final 11:10 of the stanza.

Brett Mahoney gave the hosts a 19-17 lead with a 3-pointer at 11:10, and after Kelsey Thomas tied it with a layup 25 second later, the Eagles reeled off 11 of the game's next 15 points to take a 30-23 lead with 7:00 remaining.

Two Aaron Patterson free throws cut the deficit to five, 30-25, with 6:03 left, but UMW scored seven of the final eight points of the half to take that 37-26 lead into the locker room.

Shenandoah would cut the deficit to eight points on two occasions, the last with 14:53 left, only to see the Eagles pull away with a 14-4 run over the next 5:00.

SU would get no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.

Junior Malcolm Clark paced coach Rob Pryor's club with a career-high 32 points with Aaron Patterson adding 16 and Kelsey Thomas 10.

The Hornets shot 48 percent to 49 percent for UMW and had a 35-33 advantage on the glass.

Shenandoah completes Challenge play tomorrow with a 1 p.m. game against former USA South rival N.C. Wesleyan.

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