SALEM - The Roanoke College women's basketball team was victorious on Senior Night, defeating Shenandoah in the final game of the regular season, 63-46. The Maroons now have a record of 12-12, 8-8 in ODAC play, while the Hornets are 9-16, 6-10 in the ODAC.

Before the game started, the team celebrated the careers of two four-year members of the women's basketball team: Paxton Gwin and Laurel Hankins. Gwin has played in 102 games and started 76 of those games. Gwin is She ranks sixth all-time in scoring as a Maroon. She is also in the top-10 in nine statistical categories all-time at Roanoke College, including scoring average, field goals made and three pointers made. Gwin is also a two-time All-ODAC selection.

Hankins has also played in 102 games for Roanoke, starting 73 games. She is also in the top-10 in three categories all-time at Roanoke: three point attempts, three pointers made and three point percentage. She's tallied 832 career points with 307 rebounds over her four years at Roanoke.

Gwin and Hankins tore the house down with 37 of Roanoke's 63 points. Hankins led all players in the contest with 20 points, shooting 8-15 from the field, hitting three from behind the arc. She also finished with three rebounds, one block and one steal. Gwin went 7-15 from the floor for 17 points, adding five rebounds and one steal. Tatum McKee narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.

Roanoke jumped out to an early 7-2 lead, started off with a three pointer from McKee, with an assist by Gwin. Kelsey Smith also followed with two free throws in the opening minutes. The Hornets found baskets from Holly Chittenden, Erin French and Imani Heggins to pull within one with 13:29 to play in the half, 11-10. The Maroons started to pull away from the hornets over the next seven minutes. Kelsey Smith started a 13-5 run for the Maroons with a jumper with an assist from Hannah Ward. Also during the run, five different Maroons scored, including Gwin, McKee, Hankins, Bridget Holleran and Markia Beckwith. With 5:15 to play in the half, Hankins scored five points on back-to-back possessions with a layup and a three-pointer as Roanoke charged ahead 29-18. Hankins knocked down another trey with 2:10 to play to give the Maroons a 12-point lead. At the end of the first half, Roanoke led by nine, 33-24.

Roanoke's early points in the second half came from two free throws from Gwin, who extended the Maroons lead to 11, 35-24. At this point, the Hornets got on a roll, as they went on a 14-0 run, spurred by Crystal Petrus who scored eight points, including two three-pointers. With 15:20 to play in the half, Shenandoah had built a three point, 38-35 advantage. After Shenandoah had gone ahead by four points with 12:33 to play, the Maroons got rolling again. Hankins and Gwin combined for nine consecutive points giving Roanoke the five point, 46-41 lead with 8:55 to play.

The Maroons closed out the final eight minutes on a 17-3 run, with free throws from Meghan Gadell, Tatum Mckee and Kelsey Smith. Roanoke's scoring for the night was fittingly capped off with one three pointer each from Gwin and Hankins, as Roanoke picked up the 63-46 victory over Shenandoah.

The Hornets were led in scoring by Crystal Petrus, who netted 17 points off 7-16 shooting. She also finished with six rebounds, one block and two steals. Also in double figures for Shenandoah was Imani Heggins who scored 10 points, finishing with seven rebounds and two steals. Holly Chittenden led the squad with eight rebounds, adding five points to the fray.

The Maroons return to action on Monday as they will host the opening round game of the 2014 ODAC Women's Basketball Championships as the #6 seed. Roanoke will either play Washington & Lee or Emory & Henry of the #11 seed. The game will be held at the Bast Gymnasium and is scheduled for a 7:00 PM start.

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