The Yellow Jackets looking to get an easy win in Park View found it to be a little tougher as they opened the game with a 5-0 run only to have storm back with an 11-0 run. Mike Culen (Winchester, Va./James Wood) scored five during the run including a one of his five treys. EMU (4-16, 2-11) held the advantage for the next seven minutes when Randolph-Macon finally held the Royals to tie the game at 18-18 at the 9:50 mark. An 8-0 run spurred the comeback by the Yellow Jackets.
Both EMU and RMC battled back-and-forth until the two minute mark on the clock. The Yellow Jackets would finish the half with seven straight points. Stephen Sutherland sank a three and Ryan Stein scored on a lay-up to give RMC a five-point advantage. Kurt Bergmann closed out the first period with a lay-up on an assist by Stein.
EMU quickly cut the lead to three points in the first minute of the second half. Jason Lentz (Diana, W.Va./Webster County) scored two buckets to help shade points off the lead. The Royals went cold for the next few minutes allowing the Yellow Jackets to build a double-digit lead 52-42.
The Royals would again cut the lead to three points with a 5-0 run led by Culen who hit for five more of his game-high 25 points. Randolph-Macon would build their lead as the time ticked off the clock. The Yellow Jackets enjoyed their largest lead at 21 points with 2:21 remaining in the game. EMU managed to cut the lead down the stretch but Randolph-Macon would emerge with the victory 98-84.
Stein led the Yellow Jackets with a career-high 23 points and a team-high seven assists. Kurt Bergmann added 20 points while Justin Wansley and Adam Krovic each chipped in 13 points. Krovic’s 13 points was a career-high. The Yellow Jackets shot an amazing 66% from the floor and 50% from downtown. RMC was strong down low scoring 56 points in the paint.
Lentz and Jason Sager (Edinburg, Va./Central) each scored 14 points. Lentz also added a game-high 10 rebounds. E.J. Arrington (Staunton, Va./Stuarts Draft) added 11 points. EMU shot 46% from the floor.
The men return to action on Saturday, February 7 at Emory & Henry at 2:00 p.m. and then travel to Guilford on Sunday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m.
Newspaper Box Score Randolph-Macon vs Eastern Mennonite 02/04/04 7:00 p.m. at University Commons at Eastern Mennonite At University Commons at Eastern Mennonite RANDOLPH-MACON 98, EASTERN MENNONITE 84 RANDOLPH-MACON (19-1, 13-1) STEIN, Ryan 9-13 2-2 23; BERGMANN, Kurt 8-11 3-4 20; KROVIC, Adam 5-6 3-3 13; WANSLEY, Justin 4-7 5-7 13; SILCOX, Jim 4-4 4-4 12; GILL, Patrick 2-6 2-2 6; POROPATICH, Buck 2-3 0-0 5; SUTHERLAND, Stephen 1-3 0-0 3; HARRIS, Rob 1-1 0-0 2; HAWLEY, Phillip 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 36-55 20-26 98. EASTERN MENNONITE (4-16, 2-11) CULEN, Mike 9-18 2-2 25; SAGER, Jason 5-13 4-8 14; LENTZ, Jason 6-8 2-2 14; ARRINGTON, E.J. 4-9 1-2 11; LEAKE, Stuart 3-9 1-2 9; SWARTZENTRUBER, K. 2-3 1-2 5; DYER, Earl 1-3 2-2 4; GORDON, JoMorrae 1-4 0-0 2; NEWMAN, Jeremy 0-1 0-2 0. Totals 31-68 13-22 84. Randolph-Macon 39 59 98 Eastern Mennonite 32 52 84 3-point goals-Randolph-Macon 6-12 (STEIN, Ryan 3-4; POROPATICH, Buck 1-1; BERGMANN, Kurt 1-3; SUTHERLAND, Stephen 1-2; GILL, Patrick 0-2), Eastern Mennonite 9-28 (CULEN, Mike 5-12; LEAKE, Stuart 2-6; ARRINGTON, E.J. 2-4; DYER, Earl 0-1; GORDON, JoMorrae 0-1; NEWMAN, Jeremy 0-1; LENTZ, Jason 0-1; SAGER, Jason 0-2). Fouled out--Randolph-Macon-None, Eastern Mennonite-ARRINGTON, E.J.. Rebounds-Randolph-Macon 29 (STEIN, Ryan 6; POROPATICH, Buck 6), Eastern Mennonite 30 (LENTZ, Jason 10). Assists-Randolph-Macon 25 (STEIN, Ryan 7), Eastern Mennonite 20 (GORDON, JoMorrae 7). Total fouls-Randolph-Macon 20, Eastern Mennonite 24. A-295 Coach Mike Rhoades gets 100th career win Mike Culen (EMU) 25 points Ryan Stein (RMC) 23 points