The Basics
Score: Roanoke 60 | Guilford 57
Records: Maroons 7-1, 6-0 ODAC | Quakers 2-1, 2-1 ODAC
Location: Greensboro, N.C.
The Lead: The Roanoke College men's basketball team traveled to Guilford looking to remain perfect in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play. The game would be played close throughout with neither team ever going up by double digits. With the score tied at 56-56, a Roanoke hoop with less than a minute to play would give the Maroons the final lead change of the night. RC would make their free throws to hold on for the 60-57 ODAC win.
How it Happened:
- Guilford raced out to an early lead and pushed their advantage to nine, while holding Roanoke scoreless for first seven minutes of the game.
- Brandon Ellington got Roanoke on the board and a Tripp Greene three-ball cut it to four, 9-5.
- At the midway point of the first half, Kasey Draper scored back-to-back field goals to give RC their first lead of the night, 12-11.
- The lead would change hands and be tied five times over the next seven minutes of play. With the score 18-18, Trent Dawson would score four and Justin Kuthan two, allowing Roanoke to take a 24-21 edge into the break.
- A Draper hoop and three-pointer by Efosa Edosomwan pushed the lead to six in the opening stages of the second half, The six point lead would be the largest of the night for the Maroons.
- The two ODAC rivals would go back and forth during the remainder of the evening. In total there would be 13 ties and nine lead changes.
- With the score tied 56-56, Edosomwan would score a layup out of a Guilford timeout to give Roanoke the advantage.
- The Quakers would miss a three-pointer but corralled the rebound to give them an extended possession. Liam Ward was fouled and went to the line looking to tie it for the home team. However, he made just one of two and Guilford was forced to foul.
- Draper would make one of two from the line but the Quakers couldn't tie and were once again forced to foul. Kasey went back to the stripe and again hit one of two for a three-point lead.
- With six seconds left on the clock, Guilford had one last chance to tie but a three-pointer was off the mark as time expired giving the Maroons their sixth consecutive ODAC victory.
- Draper led Roanoke with 18 points, eight rebounds, and four steals while Edosomwan added 15 and Dawson scored 11. Greene finished with eight points and a team high four assists.
- Ward finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds for the Quakers.
Up next: The Maroons will travel to Lynchburg to face Randolph College on Friday night. It will be the second time this season that the two will play, Roanoke won 80-59 in the Cregger Center on February 9th.
