The Basics
Score: #10 Roanoke 87 | Buena Vista 66
Records: Maroons 9-2 / 1-1 ODAC | Beavers 5-8
Location: Salem, Va. (Cregger Invitational)
The Lead: For the final time in 2021, the Roanoke men's basketball team was in action as they took on Buena Vista University in the Championship game of the 2021 Cregger Invitational. Roanoke got off to a slow start as they trailed the Beavers, 14-4, in the early going. The Maroons used a 44-13 run to close the first half on their way to a 21-point, Tournament Championship clinching, victory.
How it Happened:
- Buena Vista scored the first five points of the afternoon before an Ethan Rohan dunk got Roanoke on the board. A pair of Kasey Draper free throws would close the gap to three in the early stages.
- However, a three-pointer and hoop by the visitors from Iowa would push the Beaver advantage to eight. Another score made it a double-digit deficit going into the first media timeout.
- Trent Dawson scored to spark a 16-6 run and after Draper hit his second 3-pointer of the half, the score was tied at 20-20. Just past the mid-way point of the first half, Draper scored off an offensive rebound to give the Maroons their first lead of the game.
- Roanoke would take control and begin to pull away. Zach Rosenthal hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push the RC edge to 34-21. The final six minutes would see Roanoke on a 14-6 surge to take a 48-27 lead into the half.
- Tripp Greene hit a three-pointer followed by a jump shot and the Maroon lead grew to 24 points. Greene added another three-ball off a feed from Joshua McClary to give Roanoke their largest lead of the afternoon, 80-52, with just eight minutes remaining on the clock.
- McClary scored the game's final bucket with a layup in the closing minute as Roanoke would take the 2021 Cregger Invitational crown with an 87-66 win.
- Draper posted his second straight double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds while taking home MVP honors. Rosenthal was the only other Maroon in double figures with 11 as 10 different players scored in the final.
Up next: The Maroons will return to Old Dominion Athletic Conference play to kick off the New Year when they welcome Ferrum to the Cregger Center on Wednesday, January 5th for a 7:00pm tip.
2021 Cregger Invitational All-Tournament Team
Michael Demers - Buena Vista
Michael Santich - Buena Vista
Chris Barnette - Covenant
Promise Igbanu - Covenant
Kasey Draper - Roanoke (MVP)
Ethan Rohan - Roanoke