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Game story

Schedule and Results

ASHLAND, Va. — Freshman forward Justin Wansley scored a game and career-high 25 points to lead the No. 3 Randolph-Macon to a 66-55 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory over visiting No. 2 Hampden-Sydney on Saturday, February 15.

Wansley shot 8-for-10 from the floor and was 9-for-11 at the foul line, adding a team-high eight rebounds, plus two steals. Also for the Yellow Jackets, senior forward Jared Mills scored 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting (58.3%) and grabbed six rebounds, despite picking up four fouls during the contest.

The Yellow Jackets, picking up their 11th consecutive win, improved to 23-1 on the season and 16-1 in the ODAC. This is the best recorded start for the Randolph-Macon program through 24 games. The loss was the first of the season for the Tigers, who fell to 22-1 overall and are also 16-1 in the conference. Randolph-Macon’s only loss this season was against Hampden-Sydney, 52-45, on the road on Jan. 15. Washington U. is now the only unbeaten men's basketball team remaining in Division III.

The beginning of Saturday’s contest was very low-scoring, and the score was knotted at 8-8 midway through the first half. Hampden-Sydney gained control, and led for the rest of the period. But the biggest lead for the Tigers was only five points, which included the halftime score of 26-21.

Hampden-Sydney went up 28-21 early in the second half, but that would be the biggest advantage for the visitors. Mills scored the first 11 points of the second half for the Yellow Jackets, however, including a pair of 3-pointers, helping them tie the game at 32-32.

"I hit that first shot and it felt good," said Mills. "Then I hit the second and decided to just go with it."

The first 11:30 of the period featured four ties and four lead changes. With the Tigers leading 39-37 with 9:47 left in the game, Wansley scored 15 consecutive points over a span of less than 4:00, compared to just three points by Hampden-Sydney, and the Yellow Jackets were ahead 52-42.

"We didn't defend him very well, that's for sure," said Hampden-Sydney head coach Tony Shaver. "The key is to stop him from getting the ball, and we were letting him get the ball four feet away from the basket in the second half."

Randolph-Macon never looked back, and the closest the Tigers would get was to within nine points. The Yellow Jackets led by as many as 16 points down the stretch.

"You get Mills on the bench, in a little bit of foul trouble, and you think you're in good shape," said Shaver. "But Wansley was unbelievable."

For Randolph-Macon, following the performances by Wansley and Mills, senior guard Tim Smith totaled six points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Junior forward Kurt Bergmann and sophomore guard Justin Moyer each scored five points. Bergmann also grabbed five rebounds, while Moyer handed out two assists.

Hampden-Sydney was led by senior guard Jay Patrick, with 10 points on 3-for-5 shooting and two assists. Senior center Lane Brooks, junior guard Jeff Monroe, and sophomore guard Brian Gunn each had eight points and two assists. Brooks also grabbed five rebounds. Junior forward David Willson added five points and a team-high eight rebounds, while junior guard Brandon Randall also scored five points, and had a team-high two steals.