Once leading 50-40 with 13:34 left, #4 Randolph-Macon watched as Mary Washington hit three straight three-pointers, changing the complexion of the game with pressure defense in the backcourt, then went cold from the field late as the Yellow Jackets lost their first game of the 2019-2020 season Wednesday night, the Eagles victorious 70-65 at Ron Rosner Arena at the Anderson Center in Fredericksburg.
Randolph-Macon (4-0 ODAC, 12-1 overall) held the lead for most of the first half, taking a 38-32 lead into intermission. It took the Yellow Jackets nearly three minutes to score their first points of the second half, as senior guard Korey Turner came off the bench for a critical five point stretch to help the Yellow Jackets build the aforementioned ten-point advantage.
But after the barrage of three-pointers made by the Eagles, Mary Washington employed a trap pressure backcourt defense which helped to both shake the offensive rhythm of Randolph-Macon, and create transition opportunities for a team who is much better than their 10-5 overall record indicates.
Leading 56-53 with 7:08 remaining, the Eagles went on a 7-0 run to take the lead, holding on to it for nearly five minutes before two Buzz Anthony free throws tied the game at 65 apiece. But those would be the final Yellow Jacket points as two three-point shots in the final minute did not fall, and freshman Josh Talbert missed a pair of free throws in a double bonus situation.
In the loss, Anthony registered his second triple-double in the last four games, and only the third in program history, leading with 16 points, grabbing eleven rebounds and dishing out ten assists. Corey Bays scored all 15 of his points from beyond the arc while freshman Miles Mallory scored 13 points and added seven rebounds.
Randolph-Macon returns to Crenshaw Gymnasium on Saturday to face Ferrum, as their non-conference schedule came to an end tonight. Tip time will be at 2pm in Ashland.
"One loss doesn't change this group. We need to be ready to go on Saturday. We win or lose as a team, and we won't let a loss beat us twice," head coach Josh Merkel said on the postgame online radio show after the contest.
In women's action Wednesday night, Randolph-Macon fell at Bridgewater 69-61 despite double-doubles from both Charlotte Woods and Kelly Williams. Both had 16 points while Woods had 16 rebounds and Williams 10. Michal Ross led the Yellow Jackets in scoring with 19 points, and return to Crenshaw Saturday to face Guilford at 4:30pm.
