With their sixth consecutive win, the Yellow Jackets improved to 17-1 overall and 11-1 in the ODAC. Randolph-Macon is currently ranked #4 in NCAA Division III according to the highly-respected D3hoops.com website poll, which is released each Tuesday. The Wasps fell to 10-8 on the season and 5-6 in the conference. Emory & Henry handed the Yellow Jackets their only loss of the season, a 111-108 triple-overtime thriller in Emory on January 11. Randolph-Macon will host Guilford College on Sunday at 3:00 p.m., while Emory & Henry travels to Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk for a 2:00 p.m. match-up. Guilford is coming off a 79-75 victory at Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday.
Randolph-Macon was ahead for most of the first half on Saturday. However, the biggest lead for the Yellow Jackets was only six points, twice early in the contest. There was one tie in the opening period, at 27-27 with 3:17 remaining. Randolph-Macon was ahead by just two points at halftime, 36-34.
Five straight points by Emory & Henry senior guard Justin Call (Ronda, NC/East Wilkes) to open the second half gave the Wasps a 39-36 lead. Randolph-Macon’s Wansley answered back with nine consecutive points, and the Yellow Jackets would never trail again. The hosts kept building on their advantage, and were ahead by double digits for most of the last six minutes of the game. The biggest margin was 15 points, 83-68, late in the contest.
For Randolph-Macon, following the performances by Wansley, Moyer, Bergmann, and Stein, senior forward Jim Silcox (Newton, NC/Newton-Conover) came off the bench to contribute eight points on 4-of-5 shooting (80.0%) and a career-high nine rebounds in 20 minutes. He has been back for three games after an injury had him sidelined for seven contests. Senior guard Buck Poropatich (Daphne, AL/Boca Raton [FL]) scored five points.
Emory & Henry was led by Call, with 22 points. Freshman guard Korey Townsend (South Boston, VA/Halifax County) scored 14 points, including 6-of-6 free throws. Junior forward Brandon Stanley (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage) totaled 12 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore center Will Schwartzstein (Norwalk, CT/Norwalk) contributed with eight points, making all four of his foul shot attempts. Junior guard Paul Redgate (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) added seven points, four rebounds, and three assists.