VWC (3-1, 1-0) limited the Maroons (1-2, 0-1) to 25% shooting from the field en route to the lowest scoring total posted by an opponent in the 39-year-old history of the Marlins' basketball program. The defensive effort topped the previous VWC record set in 2003 when the Marlins held Gallaudet University to 35 points.
Roanoke trailed onl 28-19 at halftime, but encountered a stepped-up VWC defense in the second half. The Marlins' pressure was a factor in a dismal second-half start for the Maroons, who hit only two of their first 13 field goal attempts and turned the ball over eight times.
Virginia Wesleyan complemented its defensive stand with a balanced offensive assault, ignited by junior TonTon Balenga who scored the Marlins' first 10 points of the second half to push his team into a 38-19 lead in the first five minutes. Six additional Marlins contributed to 23-6 VWC run in the first 10 minutes that gave the host team a commanding 51-25 lead with 10:49 remaining to be played.
Matters never really improved for the Maroons as senior All-American Brandon Adair helped push Virginia Wesleyan into a 59-27 lead with 6:07 on the clock.
Twelve Marlins scored overall, led by Balenga with 18 points and Adair with 15. Roanoke was led by Josh LaPorte and Michael Diggs with six points each.
VWC helped its cause by hitting seven three-point attempts. Roanoke hit one. The Marlins forced 24 Roanoke turnovers and recorded 13 steals, led by Adair with four.