Roanoke (22-3, 17-3 ODAC) earned the #1 seed in the ODAC tournament and will host #8 Lynchburg 9-16, 7-13) on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. The Maroons finished as the 2008-09 regular season champions in the conference for the first time since the 1996-97 season. Tip-off is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center.

 

The Maroons are 59-8 all-time vs. the Hornets since 1976. The teams will meet in the ODAC Quarterfinals for the second-straight season. The Maroons are 4-0 vs. Lynchburg in ODAC Tournament Play, including an 86-67 win last season which was the most points scored against the Hornets in the series (ODAC Tourney).   The largest win margin (+47) came in an 85-38 win at the 1995 quarterfinals. The last two meetings were a 61-60 loss at Lynchburg (Jan. 6) and the 80-55 win at home on Feb 3. 

 

SALEM, Va. --- Roanoke had four players score in double-figures in an 80-55 win over Lynchburg at the Bast Center Tuesday evening. The win improved the Maroons to 17-2 overall, 13-2 in the ODAC. The Hornets dropped to 7-12, 5-9 in the conference.

 

The 17-2 start is the best since the 1996-97 season. The 25-point win was the eighth of the season as the Maroons are ranked 18^th in the country in scoring margin. It was the ninth win in a row for the women, the longest since the 1998-99 season.

 

Roanoke is now 59-8 all-time and avenged a 61-60 loss to the Hornets on Jan. 6. The women won the rebounding battle, 41-26 and scored 19 points off 18 Lynchburg turnovers.

 

Roanoke dominated in nearly every aspect of the game, outscoring Lynchburg, 43-8 in the paint, 16-6 in second chance points and 13-0 in fast break points. The Maroons shot 48% for the game, but blistered the nets in the first half, shooting 64% from the field while holding the Hornets to only 36.7-percent.

 

The Maroons jumped out to a 16-4 lead in the first four minutes lead by Jaleesa Osborne with six points to start the game. Lynchburg got back in the game with a 12-4 run to cut it to four, 20-16 with 9:26 remaining.

 

A three-pointer by Courtney Brewer kept the Hornets close to make the score, 28-22 at the 5:48 mark. Roanoke made a push, ending the half with an 11-2 run to make it 39-24 at the half. Jordan Gholson led the way with eight of the 11 points during that span.

 

Roanoke came out the gate strong in the second half as they pushed its lead to 28, 62-34 with 9:31 remaining after two made free-throws by Rachel Hawkins. Katie Crump scored seven points Lynchburg on a 12-2 run to make it 64-46 with 6:58 remaining.

 

Roanoke scored 14 of the next 17 points to increase its lead to 78-49 with 1:30 left which was the largest lead of the contest and sealed the longest win-streak of the season for the Maroons.

 

Gholson led all scorers with 16 along with eight rebounds and four blocked shots. She now has 40 blocks on the season, just five shy of tying the single-season record in addition to moving to fourth in career blocked shots. Erin Jenkins finished with 15 points, four steals and two blocked shots. Caitlyn Long had 14 points, four rebounds, a team-high five assists and three steals.

 

Brewer finished with 11 points to lead the Hornets. Kylie Lucas had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.

HARRISONBURG, Va. --- Roanoke defeated Eastern Mennonite, 87-62 at Yoder Arena in its regular season finale Saturday afternoon. The Maroons are now 22-3 overall, 17-3 in the ODAC while the Royals are 13-12, 8-12 in the conference.

 

The Maroons, who clinched the top-seed in next week's ODAC Tournament, finished the regular season with the best overall (22-3) and road record (11-1) since the 1996-97 season. Roanoke swept EMU for the first time since the 2001-02 season and are now 56-20 in the series since 1970-71.

 

The 9-2 away record is the best in five years while the 17-3 ODAC mark is the best since the 1998-99 season. It is the 10^th time this season that the Maroons have defeated an opponent by at least 25-points.

 

The women cruised to a commanding 50-33 advantage and never looked back as they locked up a #1 seed in next week's ODAC Tournament. It is the first time the Maroons have been a #1 seed since the 1996-97 season.

 

With the Maroons up four, 20-16 with 10:39 remaining, they pulled away early on a 21-8 run to increase their lead to 17, 41-20 with 6:10 remaining and never looked back.

 

Roanoke had five players score in double-figures, led by Caitlyn Long and Jaleesa Osborne with 16 points apiece. Long was 4-of-8 from three-point range and is one shy of tying Suzanne Moore '97 for fifth all-time and tied for eighth in single-season treys (50). She also had five rebounds and five assists. Osborne finished with six assists and five rebounds while shooting 7-of-12 from the floor.

 

Jordan Gholson chipped in 14 points with five rebounds and two blocked shots while Erin Jenkins and Virginia Anne Hagood tossed in 10 each. Jenkins dished out a career-best seven assists.

Lynchburg finished the regular season 9-16 overall, 7-13 in the ODAC and earned the #8 seed in the conference tournament. The Hornets went 1-2 last week as they topped Hollins, 88-38 on Saturday in the regular season finale to clinch the eighth and final spot. Earlier in the week they fell to Bridgewater, 49-70 and Randolph 54-64. Kristina Darby and Courtney Brewer both scored 17 points apiece against Hollins. Tamara Sneed led the Hornets in rebounding with 15 and added seven points in the win.  Darby also led the team with 22 points vs. Randolph. Kylie Lucas added 12 points and six rebounds against the Wildcats. Lucas was the high scorer against Bridgewater with 18 points and five boards. She leads the team with 12.6 points per game. Brittany Dahn leads the Hornets in rebounds per game (8.8).

 

Roanoke clinched the ODAC regular season title and earned the #1 seed in the ODAC tournament. The 22-3 record and 17 ODAC wins are the team's best since the 1996-97 season. RC went 5-0 in nonconference play for the first time since 2004-05 while the 8-0 start was the best in school-history. The victory over Bennett was RC's 16th 20-win season in program history, 15th under head coach Susan Dunagan. The 28-year coaching veteran is the winningest coach in ODAC-History and in the state of Virginia (College Div.).

 

Washington & Lee ended Roanoke's 13-game win-streak in a 65-54 loss last Friday on Senior Night. Caitlyn Long notched 20 points in the loss while Virginia Anne Hagood also scored in double-figures in her final game at the Bast Center, recording 10 points along with five rebounds. The Maroons defeated Eastern Mennonite, 87-62 in the regular season finale last Saturday. Jaleesa Osborne and Long both dropped 16 points in the victory and pulled down seven and five boards, respectively. Osborne also recorded six assists and Long five in the victory. Long is the Maroon's leading scorer (12.1 ppg) and long-range threat (50 3PM) with Osborne leading the team in assists (95) and steals (64). Jordan Gholson leads the team in rebounds with six per game in addition to setting a new school-record in single-season blocks with 53.

 

Jordan Gholson has recorded 53 blocked shots this season to set a new single-season mark.  Her 98 career blocked shots is two shy of becoming only the third player in school-history with 100 career blocked shots.

 

 Jaleesa Osborne's 202 career steals passes Carrie McConnell '00 for sixth on the all-time list. She is five away from typing Kay Caldwell '94 with 207.  Her 270 career assists is also sixth all-time passing both Emilie Voelker '83 and Jessica Ficarro '98.

 

Caitlyn Long's 128 career three-pointers rank her sixth and she is two away from passing Suzanne Moore '97 (129) for fifth.  Her 372 three-point attempts are fifth all-time. Her 74.2% free-throw and 34.4% three-point percentages are among the career top-10 at Roanoke. 

 

Erin Jenkins entered the top-10 in career three-pointers made with 88, ranking her eighth all-time at Roanoke. Her 246 three-point attempts pass Carrie McConnell ‘00 for ninth all-time.

 

Roanoke has won more titles (13) than any other school ODAC Women's Basketball History. They have a tournament record of 54-13 (.806). Their last ODAC Championship came in 2000, defeating Emory & Henry, 59-48 to advance to their 10^th and final NCAA Tournament Appearance. Since 2000, the Maroons have advanced to the ODAC Title game only once (2003). 

 

From 2002-08, the Maroons did not enter the tournament higher than fourth, but have improved their seeding over the last four seasons. They have advanced to the ODAC Semifinals over the last three seasons. From 1991-96, the Maroons won an ODAC Tournament record, 17-straight games. The women have advanced to the championship game 17 times, including 10 in a row (1989-1998). They have only made it to the final day twice since then. 

 

This is the Maroons first #1 seed since 1996-97 and the eighth overall since 1983. From 1990-97 they were the top-seed each year except for 1992 and 1996, which they were the #2 seed.