Posted: Feb 15, 2014
Paxton Gwin led the Maroons in scoring, netting 25 points off of 12-17 shooting on the afternoon. She also notched a double-double, pulling down 10 rebounds, leading all players in the contest. Laurel Hankins finished the game with 16 points and eight rebounds, the second highest scoring and rebounding total on the team. Kelsey Smith was the third Maroon in double figures, scoring 10 points, while pulling down five rebounds.
Eastern Mennonite got out to a 10-2 lead in the first two and a half minutes, with Paxton Gwin scoring the Maroons two lone points in that span. Roanoke answered with a 9-0 run of its own which included five points from Laurel Hankins and two from Kelsey Smith. Roanoke had it's only lead of the game at 15:19 as Paxton Gwin hit a layup to put the Maroons ahead 11-10.
Through the 10 minute mark in the first half, the Royals had outscored the Maroons 13-5, with five different players scoring in that span. With 5:40 to play, Kelsey Smith hit a three pointer, to bring the Maroons back within 11, 34-23. Just a minute later, Laurel Hankins also hit a three-pointer cutting the deficit to 10.. In the final two minutes of the first half, Markia Beckwith, Kanisha Wiley and Tatum McKee all dropped in Baskets for the Maroons, as Roanoke trailed 45-32 at half.
Paxton Gwin scored the first four points of the second half, as Roanoke came back within nine, 45-36 in the first minute of the period. The teams traded baskets over the next two minutes, as each squad scored four points in the time period. After a three minute scoring drought by both teams, Gwin hit a layup to bring the Maroons back within seven, 49-42. At 13:20, Kelsey Smith hit a three-pointer to put Roanoke at its closest margin of six points, 53-47.
Roanoke continued to battle with Eastern Mennonite, staying at a seven point distance for most of the second half. Markia Beckwith hit a jumper, following it up with an old-fashioned three point play at 4:40 to keep Roanoke at seven, 67-60. The Royals tried to widen the lead, but Roanoke continued to match Eastern Mennonite at the basket. Four free throws by Steph Rheinheimer put the royals up by 11, 75-64, but Hankins answered with a trey to get back to eight points. Jess Rheinheimer also hit free throws down the stretch, as the Royals hit 19-22 on the afternoon. The Eastern Mennonite free throws sealed the game as Roanoke fell 82-72 on the road.
The Maroons outshot the Royals 46.2 to 42.0 percent from the field, and was a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line. Eastern Mennonite won the battle of the boards, outrebounding Roanoke 40-38, as well as leading in assists 18-12. Roanoke turned the ball over 13 times to Eastern Mennonite's five on the evening.
Steph Rheinheimer led the Royals with 16 points, shooting 7-8 from the free throw line. She was followed by Bianca Ygarza who scored 15 points. Nora Osei finished the contest with a team high seven rebounds.
The Maroons return to action on Wednesday, February 19th as they play Guilford College on the road. That contest is scheduled for a 7:00 PM start.
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