Roanoke Falls To #1 Yellow Jackets

#1 RMC held off RC 72-67
#1 RMC held off RC 72-67

The Basics
Score:  Roanoke 67 | Randolph-Macon 72  
Records: Maroons 15-6 / 7-5 ODAC | Yellow Jackets 20-1 / 12-0 ODAC
Location: Ashland, Va.

The Lead: The Roanoke College men's basketball team traveled to Ashland to face #1 ranked Randolph-Macon on Saturday afternoon. It was the second meeting of the season with the Yellow Jackets winning in Salem, 62-50, two months ago. The home team would break open a close game in the final two-minutes of the first half when they closed the frame on a 7-2 run to take a 42-36 edge into the break. Roanoke cut a 10-point deficit in half over the final three minutes of action, but the Jackets would hold on for the, 72-67, win.

How it Happened:

  • Tripp Greene hit a game opening three and after three consecutive Kasey Draper free throws, the Maroons were out to an early 8-4 advantage.
  • At the 13:29 mark, Efosa U-Edosomwan scored to push the lead to six, 14-8, and prompting a Randolph-Macon timeout. However, the Jackets would rally to take the lead back, 21-20, with just over eight minutes to play. Ian Robertson would push the RMC lead to 28-22.
  • Nick Price and Joshua McClary hit three-pointers and when Ethan Rohan scored with 1:33 to play, the RMC lead had been cut to one, 35-34. The final minute plus belong to Macon as they closed the half with a 7-2 surge for a 42-36 halftime lead.
  • Draper scored five straight points as the Maroons would surge in front 44-42, with 18:00 left to play. The lead would go back and forth until a 7-0 run would see Randolph-Macon in front, 52-54, with 8:45 left in the game. Three minutes later the Yellow Jackets saw their lead grow to 12, the largest of the afternoon.
  • Draper and Price sparked a 5-0 run to pull Roanoke to within seven and Rohan would cut it to five in the closing seconds, but the time ran out on the Maroons and the nation's top team had held off their visitors for the 72-67, Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), win.
  • U-Edosomwan led Raonoke with 21 while Draper added 19 and Roahn scored eight to go with nine rebounds and a pair of assists. Price finished with five points and four helpers.

Up next: The Maroons home for an early, 5:00pm, start on Wednesday when they host Shenandoah in the Cregger Center. It's the annual "Maroon Madness" night as the arena will be packed for a men's/women's double header.