SALEM - The Roanoke College women's basketball team dropped an Old Dominion Athletic Conference contest to Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday, falling 70-56 in the Bast Center. The Maroons now have a record of 2-5; 0-3 ODAC, while the Marlins sit with a mark of 6-2; 3-0 in ODAC play.

Paxton Gwin finished the game with 14 points, and now sits 18 points away from scoring her 1,000^th point as a Maroon. Gwin has tallied 109 total points this season, and averages 15.6 points per game, which ranks fifth in the ODAC. She also completed a double double with her 14 points and 10 rebounds. Laurel Hankins led the Maroons in the contest with 22 points, shooting 6-12 from the field and knocking down 7-10 free throws. Tatum McKee finished with six rebounds, while Hankins also boasted four assists.

The two teams battled back and forth early in the contest, starting the game with three ties and two lead changes in the first five minutes. At the 11:12 mark in the first half, Roanoke took its largest lead up to that point, as Paxton Gwin hit a three point basket to give the Maroons a four point, 17-13 lead. The Maroons maintained a four point lead over the next four minutes, and Kelsey Smith increased the advantage to five with a jumper at 7:49. The Marlins knocked down three pointers in consecutive possessions to pull within one, 26-25 with 7:00 to play in the first.

The Maroons broke their lead wide open over the next few minutes as Smith and Hankins combined for three consecutive treys to take a 10-point, 37-27 lead with 3:06 to play. Anna Carter hit the final basket of the half, allowing the first 20 minutes to come to a close with a Roanoke 39-33 advantage.

In the first two minutes of the second half, the Marlins went on a 9-0 run to take a 42-39 advantage. Virginia Wesleyan went on another 6-1 run to build an eight point 48-40 lead. Tatum McKee and Markia Beckwith answered with five points, to pull back within three, 48-45. With 12:46 to play, Kelly Jones hit a layup for the Marlins which started a 12-0 run that spanned eight minutes. McKee, Hankins and Gwin would all hit baskets down the stretch, but Virginia Wesleyan would pick up the 70-56 win over Roanoke.

The Marlins outshot the Maroons 44.1 to 30.5 percent from the field, while the Maroons held a 60.9 to 47.4 percent advantage from the free throw line. Virginia Wesleyan finished the game with 46 rebounds to Roanoke's 41, as well as leading in assists 20-9.

The Maroons return to action on December 16-17 as they compete in the Pat Deacon Classic at Transylvania University. On Monday, December 16^th, the Maroons face off against Maryville College at 8:00 PM, then play host school Transylvania at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, December 17^th. Roanoke's next home contest is on January 5^th as they host non-conference opponent Stevenson University at 2:00 PM.

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